No – even if Ian proved his innocence, how would that change things? Regarding his current situation, Ian was sure the Bone Dagon was quite an extreme fellow. It seemed impossible to have a normal conversation with it.
“Let me ask you something. If you allow me to, I can explain everything from the beginning. I’ll explain to you how my choices had nothing to do with Fran Page, nor stealing you bodies. Are you willing to listen hear me out?” Ian asked calmly.
(Just like that hypocrite. Good with using the tongue. He deceive us, pretending to be a teacher and ally, but never ceased to come up with dirty ways to steal our bodies.)
What a long rant.
But the Bone Dragon was clearly saying one thing.
(Young seedling of Page. I can sense the same hypocrisy like that bastard. You reek of twisted desires. I will destroy you before you can grow more in your wickedness.)
The Bone Dragon clearly had no intention of having a conversation.
Ian’s negotiation was ruptured.
(This is my reply, and the reason I came looking for you)
“Hmm.” Ian nodded his head.
The dragon wasn’t willing to listen, just as he expected.
Of course, this was what Ian had been expecting.
“I knew that would be the case.” He said.
He had prepared for this in advance.
It had given him more time, too.
“Let’s take this somewhere else first.”
(Location doesn’t matter when I’m trying to destroy …)
“I’m not asking a request of you.” Ian interrupted. He stomped on one foot, hard. Then, at that moment, there were figures carved midair in a blue light. The figures started to form a circular hole, and this was the ‘Worf Gate’, an 8th class spell. It was a portal that could even transport that Bone Dragon.
“Come with me.” Ian said. He didn’t give time for the dragon to lumber. He threw himself through the portal.
At the other end of the portal was the ‘Knocking Island.’
It was the island where the immortal artisans were living.
“Your master…?”
The artisans were looking up at the portal that had appeared midair above them. They looked a little relieved once Ian appeared in front of them.
“Huh..?”
“Wha.. what is that?”
The artisans panicked once they saw the dragon appear in front of them, starting with the head of the dragon. Then, the dragon’s body, wings, and tail appeared out of the portal into sight. Its size was incomparable to Ian’s dragon’s pet, which was quite big itsel.f
“This was the only place I could think of.”
“What.. what do you mean, sir?”
“You’ll have to excuse me.”
The reason Ian had chosen the Knocking Island as the battlegrounds was simple.
First, the island was far off in the middle of the ocean.
Even if he were to perform extreme spells, it wouldn’t destroy any lives or property. On top of that, the artisans, the inhabitants of the island, weren’t capable of death even if they wanted to. Even if they could die, wouldn’t they be glad for it?
‘Now this is the best place for now.
The portal only connected him to places he had been before.
That was the final reason he had decided to come here.
At that moment, there was a sound of soft laughter from the Bone Dragon.
(Hahaha…)
The Bone Dragon chuckled, as if in ridicule.
(I remember this place…) It mumbled, as if he knew of the island.
(Is this a nest the hypocrite created?)
“Nest?”
(The bastard was never satisfied with simply taking our bodies. He wanted to be acknowledged as part of the dragon colony as well. He built his own habitat, and start his own colony.)
Then, the Bone Dragon paused.
Then, it said something shocking.
(The Golden Dragon Family.)
“…what?”
(That was what the hypocrite named himself.)
Ian was confused. This was too shocking. Fran Page, the first magician ever to have existed, and possibly his own father, was the Golden Dragon?
‘What in the world…’
The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.
It felt like he had fallen in a deep pit he couldn’t escape out of.
At what point had it all gone wrong?
At what point was he involved with all of this?
Ian had no clue.
(Young seedling of Page. It’s not that I don’t believe you. I can believe that you had never coveted over the dragons’ bodies, and that you have nothing to do with Fran Page. However, that’s just what you think.)
The Bone Dragon paused.
Then, it continued to speak.
(Look back on your life, then answer me. Are you sure all of your choices and actions were all by your doing? Are you capable of proving you were not played by someone else?)
Ian had been wondering the same thing ever since the Bone Dragon had mentioned the Golden Dragon. The Bone Dragon’s question hit its target.
(You probably can’t be sure.)
“…”
(And there is no way for you to prove it, either.)
“…”
(That is why I’m trying to destroy you once and for all.)
The Bone Dragon was done speaking.
It then soared up to the sky and summoned a ball of mana in its mouth.
It was the ‘Dragon Breath’.
(I’ll end this without making you feel pain.)
The dragon wasn’t gloating at all.
The dark-red energy of dragon breath that was now forming in its mouth had the capability to destroy.
One would feel as if their skin was being ripped off just by facing the dragon breath.
The Bone Dragon seemed it would destroy the entire island to dust any moment.
(I hope in your next life, you won’t be born as a useless seedling.)
The Bone Dragon seemed to mean it with all its heart.
Then, the island was swallowed up in the dark-red Dragon.