Chapter 279: Felling a Dragon (VI)

Chapter 279: Felling a Dragon (VI)

Chapter 279

Felling a Dragon (VI)

Cain heaved back, blazing fires following him precisely, almost at his tail. The clash of the two in the sky shook the whole world round, illuminating it into a day. In line with it, the backlash matched the visual spectacle; Cain had immediately begun bleeding from virtually every orifice. He desperately tried suppressing it through raw Mana but he only managed to mitigate the problem somewhat rather than wholly fixing it.

The explosion had blown him backwards and, whilst healing, he also had to spare some attention on the side to cease the incredible backward momentum and come to a halt. Hed only managed to do so after flying nearly ten miles backward. From his position, he saw that the Dragon had barely moved back and was flapping its wings indifferently, the cosmic-like eyes staring into his with still piqued curiosity.

Dammit, his mind abuzz, Cain shook his head and took a deep breath. Hed already recovered almost completely, barring the consumed Mana. That clash, however, made him realize somethingthey were very, very unlikely to kill the Dragon. In fact, the only way Cain could see them killing him is if the Dragon literally assisted them. The fact, however, that the Dragon didnt immediately attack and try and obliterate Cain swiftly told him something elsethat there was likely another condition, past just killing the Dragonto clear the Trial, even if it seemed unlikely.

After all, the reason they were hired to complete the Trial was because the Dragon ended a species. Still, there was another way, Cain knew. No, rather than to say knew, he felt itintuition of someone whod been doing trials and quests within the Tower for three decades screamed at him, telling him it wasnt over.

The key to it, though, was maintaining the Dragons interest and curiosity. That also meant that Cain would repeatedly have to pull something new in an ever-increasing fashion, hoping that, eventually, it will be enough before he runs out of things to do. In the meantime, it was unlikely that the others would defeat the Wyverns and come join him. Even if they did, he suspected that at least a couple among them would, similarly, pique the Dragons curiosity.

All the same, clearing his head of stray thoughts, Cain roared at the top of his lungs and coated himself in several, thick layers of Mana before bolting forward, leaving a gushing trail of flaming colors behind him, alighting the world once again.

**

He felt strange. Tired. Yet rested. Just before he opened his eyes, he was swimming in darkness for what felt like eternity yet was a moment. It was indescribable, the strange passage of time. He felt it yet didnt experience it. Even for him, someone who knew almost all there was to know, it was a uniquely lovely experience. Though thankful to be woken from his slumber, he was still angry that someone so brazenly crossed into his territory. The last time he was lenient with the lesser creatures, they snuck into his lair and tried stealing from him. He swore to never allow it againhed exterminate them all without warning.

Yet, when he saw the tiny creature that woke him, his curiosity was peaked; the creature couldnt have been taller than his toenail, and it appeared skinny and malnourished. Yet, despite that, strange auras compelled him to inspect the tiny creature further. Those auras, they wrote a storya story so complex and pervert that his curiosity wasnt yet quenched. There were all sorts and all manners of intertwining webs and lay lines interconnecting around the tiny creature; there was the breath of Time, the touch of that infinity that even he could be felled by. Beyond time, there was also the terrible, stench-filled touch of Divineyet that touch was also uniquely different, uniquely un-Divine, if there were such a thing. He couldnt understand it. No, before he could devote any more energy to understanding it he caught the sight and the scent of something else. Something far less alien and strange and something far closer to him. He caught a scent of a Dragon.

Fabricating an entire Trial and interfering so much he better be worth it.

Well see, she replied, smiling cheekily. The two of them are a unique pairing, after all. If all goes well, inevitably we might just learn what the fuck is happening within the Divine Hall.

Why cant you be like the others? the voice sighed. And just resign yourself to not knowing and living out a peaceful life?

Tsk, thats boring. Besides, that kind of content is what led to the entire cosmos being in the state that its in. If we cared a little more about the truths and less about what the next, big fetish is gonna be, we might have gotten much farther than this. Anyway, youve sat with me through the entire thing. The hell are you raising your concerns for now?

Ive raised them plenty of times beforehand; stop making things up.

Really? I cant recall.

Mighty funny coming from a creature thats physically incapable of forgetting.

I might just be super unique.

You definitely are; just not in this department.

Ugh, fine, fine, enough. Im tired. I need to take a nap. Wake me up when he reaches twentieth floor or enters the Void. You should rest some as well.

very well. The rabbit-like creature cast a last glance toward the veiled woman who lay down on top of the bed and sprawled herself without a care in the world before closing its own eyes and nudging its head against the cool, wooden desk. It will be a while before the two woke up; the amount of Mana they expanded in the last few months was enough to create an entire new world and breathe life into it, after all.