Kalzara
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Chapter 8: I Have A Pet Dragon?
🕑 Added 2023-09-29 01:37:10 +0000 UTCAs Slifer rested in his quarters, contemplating his next move, a sudden spiritual transmission interrupted his thoughts. "Apologies for the interruption, Master," Morvran's voice echoed, "But Valeriana has made a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm. She eagerly awaits your arrival."
Valeriana? Slifer delved deep into the recesses of the original’s memories, trying to recall any hint of this individual. Nothing. Not a single hint. Just who is this Valeriana? He responded with feigned enthusiasm, "That's splendid news, Morvran. Lead the way."
Inwardly, Slifer couldn’t help but grumble like an old man. What does this woman's breakthrough have to do with me? Is this some flex of her cultivation?
While Slifer was lost in thought, Morvran effortlessly leaped onto his sword and started to ascend. However, he soon noticed that Slifer was just standing there, staring up at him with an awkward smile on his face.
"Master, is everything alright?" Morvran asked, slightly confused.
With a light chuckle, Slifer adjusted his robes and adopted a sagely demeanor, "Ah, Morvran. I've sworn off flying for the time being. A personal decision."
Morvran looked taken aback, then offered, "Would you like a ride then, Master?"
Slifer nodded in gratitude. "That would be most kind." And with that, he hopped onto the sword, securing himself behind Morvran.
As they flew higher, a sense of unease settled in Slifer's chest. Something doesn't feel right. It's as though we're being watched by some hidden predator. The sky darkened slightly which only added to his discomfort.
Their destination was evident when a massive cave loomed in the distance. But the nauseating smell of rotting flesh wafting from it made Slifer's stomach churn. Who in the world would choose to live in such a place? Is this Valeriana a madwoman?
A sudden gust of warm air, redolent with that awful odor, billowed out of the cave, almost knocking Slifer off his feet. Morvran, apparently unfazed, remarked, "Valeriana must be in a particularly good mood today."
Slifer grimaced, fighting the urge to retch. By 'good mood', does he mean she's...cooking something? Human meat perhaps?
Slifer's feet had barely touched the ground when a vibrant little dragon, smaller than a housecat, came flying out of the cave. The creature was orange, its scales reflecting light like tiny suns. It had large, innocent eyes and tiny wings flapping energetically as it circled around Slifer.
Well, regardless of how weird this Valeriana is, she sure has an adorable pet, Slifer mused.
Reaching out, he gently patted the tiny dragon's head. "Hello there, little fella!"
However, to his astonishment, the cute baby dragon scrunched up its face into an adorable angry expression and said, "Master, you know me girl, not boy!"
Slifer staggered back, his eyes widening. It talks?
"Master is just teasing, Valeriana," Morvran reassured the young dragon.
Slifer's eyebrows shot up. This... This is Valeriana? The one who reached the Nascent Soul realm? Staring intently at the dragon, he tried reconciling the idea of a mighty Nascent Soul beast with this pocket-sized bundle of cuteness. I was expecting something menacing... But this? Maybe she can’t intimidate opponents, but she could certainly distract them with adorability.
Rapidly sifting through the original's memories, Slifer recalled that most beasts, prior to reaching the Core Formation level, were essentially mindless, functioning on basic instincts alone. Once they entered the Core Formation realm, they were able to talk but their vocabulary was limited to just their names. Kind of like a... Pokémon.
Upon reaching the Nascent Soul realm, they would attain the intellectual capacity of a child. Only after stepping into the Ascendant realm would they gain full maturity. So, the little dragon in front of him was still a baby.
Valeriana, still a tad peeved but wanting to clarify her identity, proudly declared, “Me... Val... Valer... Ugh! Name too long. Me just Val now."
Slifer felt sorry for the poor thing, even in the Nascent Soul realm, she was still struggling to pronounce her name. "It's okay, Val. Names can be hard, especially long ones."
Valeriana swelled with pride, her tiny chest puffing out. "Master, me break through! Val big dragon now!"
Slifer couldn't help but chuckle at her endearing bragging. He leaned down, playfully pinching her chubby cheek. "Oh, absolutely! You're the biggest dragon I've ever seen!" he teased, a smirk playing on his lips. Technically, he was not lying, she was the only dragon he has seen.
Valeriana tilted her head, looking at Slifer with those large, innocent eyes. "M-master, why you look make funny face? Val no scary?"
"Oh, you're plenty 'scary,' alright," Slifer teased, struggling to keep a straight face.
The only time I see this gentle side of master is with little Val, Morvran’s usually stoic expression softened. To outsiders, Master Slifer is a ruthless, unyielding force. But those few close to him see the duality - the gentleness he displays to those he cares for.
However, it seemed that Valeriana was able to tell that Slifer wasn’t taking her seriously, as her tiny body suddenly began to shimmer and ripple.
In a swift transformation, her once tiny form expanded rapidly, wings stretching out and growing vast, while her body elongated and thickened. Her once cute, beady eyes were replaced by two large, piercing orbs that glinted dangerously. The adorable orange baby dragon had transformed into a colossal and majestic creature with scales that gleamed like molten gold in the sunlight.
Caught off guard by the sudden change, Slifer's eyes widened in horror. He took an involuntary step back, his heart racing, as the mighty dragon reared her head and let out a deafening roar. The roar's force alone was enough to push him several steps back, making his robes flutter wildly. What in the Nine Heavens...
The huge dragon then halted abruptly, her menacing gaze shifting to one of sheer excitement. "Master scared?" Valeriana questioned in her usual babyish tone, although her voice now had a rumbling undertone because of her colossal size.
Morvran, stepping forward, replied, "Yes, you've scared master." Inside, he nodded approvingly, Ah, master's playing along. Little Val lacks confidence. It's like a lion pretending to be scared when its cub pounces. Nicely done, master.
Valeriana, regaining her smaller form, hopped around Slifer gleefully, puffing out her chest in pride. "Me did it! Me scared Master big-big!" Her tail wagged with delight, and she chirped joyfully. She believed that her master was the scariest person in the world, if she could scare her master then she could scare anyone.
Though still slightly rattled, Slifer couldn't help but chuckle at the enthusiastic little dragon. He crouched back down to her level, his voice gentle, "Yes, you did. You really are the mightiest dragon I've ever met."
Valeriana chirped, "Master, follow me! Me have something to show!" With a flap of her tiny wings, she led Slifer deeper into the cave.
As he entered, the overwhelming stench of decaying corpses only grew stronger. Laid out before him were the remains of many humans, too many to count.
She's small and cute, but she's still a dragon. Complaining about her eating habits would be like those vegans back on Earth who called me a murderer for eating a hamburger. Slifer couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Trust me, vegans, nothing could ever keep me away from a good burger.
Wandering deeper into the cave, Slifer's eyes widened at the sight of mountains of gold coins, shimmering jewels, and other treasures strewn about. So, the old tales were right. Dragons do have a thing for hoarding treasures.
"Look, Master, look!" Valeriana flew over to a small alcove and nudged a ruby pendant toward him. "Pretty, yes?"
Slifer smiled, indulging her excitement. "Yes, it's very pretty, Valeriana."
She has diamonds and all sorts of other precious gems here, yet she's excited about a ruby? Slifer thought. But then, a little voice in the back of his mind nudged him. Might as well use Insight on it. What's the harm?
He focused his spiritual sense on the pendant, activating the Insight Skill
Error
Insight Skill Level Too Low
Upgrade To Identify Object
His eyes widened. What the...? There must be something special about this ruby.
"Master like it?" Valeriana looked up at him, clearly seeking approval.
Slifer, still taken aback by the unexpected failure of his Insight skill, replied, "I like it very much, Valeriana.”
"You keep!" Valeriana nudged the ruby pendant toward him. "Gift for Master!"
His eyes widened. She's giving it to me? Well, if she insists. "Thank you, Valeriana. It's a beautiful gift."
Valeriana buzzed around happily. "Master happy, me happy!"
Slifer couldn't help but smile at her simplicity. Despite her quirks and the rather morbid environment she called home, she was a fascinating creature—equal parts terrifying and adorable.
"Val, where did you find this ruby?" Slifer asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Val munching cultivator. Bite dis by accident," she said, making a biting motion with her tiny jaws.
Valeriana's face suddenly turned sad. She opened her mouth to reveal a chipped tooth. "Tooth break."
Slifer's eyes narrowed. An object that can't be identified by Insight and strong enough to chip a dragon's tooth. What on Earth is this thing?
Valeriana's face lit up again. "But it pretty. Master like, so me forgive it!"
Slifer couldn't help but smile at her innocent joy. "You did the right thing, Val. It is a very special ruby."
He turned to Morvran. "Morvran, do you think you can find any information on what this ruby might be?"
Morvran nodded, his expression turning serious. "I can try to consult the Sect's archives or speak with some artifact appraisers. It is indeed curious that it could chip Valeriana's tooth."
Slifer then turned back to Val and focused, activating his Insight skill.
Congratulations!
You Have Discovered A Higher Being
You Have Gained 5 Credits
Would You Like To Take The Being As A Disciple?
A smirk spread across Slifer's wrinkled face. A Nascent Soul being as a disciple? The credits he could farm from her would solve many of his problems. Eagerly, he mentally replied, Yes.
Error
Soul Bond Required
Upgrade To Identify Object
A Soul Bond Can Be Purchased At The Shop For 900 Karmic Credits
Of course, Slifer sighed inwardly. The System always knows how to tease me. Just when I think I'm about to get something good, there's a catch.
Valeriana, oblivious to Slifer's internal dialogue, tilted her head, her eyes brimming with childlike curiosity. "Master, why you look sad?"
Slifer, momentarily pulled from his thoughts, gave Val a pat on the head, chuckling, "Ah, little one, just the world playing its tricks on an old man."
"Hughie, watch out!" Caelum called out.
Engaged in a fierce duel with a Mid Core Formation expert, Hughie barely maneuvered out of harm's way. The blade slashed, narrowly missing the spot where Hughie's head had been a mere moment earlier.
Laughing, he taunted the two assailants, the other being an Early Core Formation expert. "Is that the best you two can manage? Double-teaming and you still miss!"
The Early Core Formation expert retorted, "You talk too much!"
The other sneered, "We'll shut that mouth for good."
They both channeled their qi and activated their combined skill, the "Twin Celestial Strike".
The Mid Core expert produced a luminous white blade from thin air, and the Early Core expert's hands transformed into fiery phoenix claws. The two charged simultaneously from opposite directions, attempting to trap Hughie in a pincer attack.
With a gleam in his eye, Hughie shouted, "Come on then! Give me everything you've got!"
Instead of evading, he stood his ground. He fortified his vital organs with a barrier of qi but allowed the rest of the attacks to hit. The blade sliced his side, and the phoenix claws scorched his skin. The combined force sent him hurtling backward, crashing into a boulder, leaving him bloodied and bruised, but remarkably, with no fatal wounds.
The bandits laughed. "Look at him," the Mid Core expert jeered. "All he's good for is bullying those Foundation Establishment weaklings. All bark and no bite."
However, as Hughie slowly began to rise, his laughter, tinged with madness, echoed across the village. The two bandits exchanged bewildered glances. Has he lost his mind? thought the Early Core Formation bandit.
A shocking transformation began. Hughie's injuries started healing at an inhuman speed. Crimson veins appeared and pulsated across his form, and his muscles bulged and expanded. He clenched his fists, and they emitted a pulsing, menacing aura.
Now towering over them, Hughie smirked, "Thank you for the warm-up. Now, it's my turn."
Startled by Hughie's sudden transformation, the two bandits instinctively stepped back. But in a blink of an eye, Hughie appeared before the Mid Core Formation expert. With an exaggerated wind-up and a grin, he threw a punch at the first one. The bandit was unable to dodge and Hughie's punch landed squarely on his chest. The impact was so overwhelming that the bandit's body instantly flattened, disintegrating into a violent explosion of blood and gore.
The scene looked like an artist's palette of red… if the artist was particularly morbid.
The Early Core Formation bandit was frozen in sheer terror for a moment, but instinct quickly kicked in. He turned to flee, his voice quivering as he shouted, "Y-You're a demon!"
Laughing maniacally, Hughie's form flickered and he appeared right in front of the fleeing bandit, catching him by the neck with one massive hand. Effortlessly lifting him off the ground, Hughie whispered into the terrified bandit’s ear. "Going somewhere?"
As the bandit gasped and choked, Hughie said with mock solemnity, "Boss Morvran would be so proud of this. You ready?"
Without waiting for an answer, Hughie began to repeatedly slam the bandit onto the ground. After each slam, he would lift him up, inspect the damage, and comment as if he was testing the durability of a new toy. "Hmm, still intact... Let's try that again."
By the time Hughie was done, the once fearsome bandit was reduced to a jumble of battered bits and pieces. Hughie, catching his breath, looked at his handiwork and nodded appreciatively. "Now that's what I call a stress-relief exercise!"
Caelum watched the aftermath of Hughie's explosive display and sighed deeply. Why can't Junior Brother ever approach things with a bit more caution? he thought. In the world of cultivation, underestimating an opponent, no matter how weak they seemed, was a ticket to an early grave. Caelum had never considered cultivating like Hughie. Hughie's method, although potent, was simply too volatile, too fraught with the danger of a misstep that could end one's life.
His thoughts were interrupted as the bandit leader before him spoke. The man was a Late Core Formation cultivator. Like any typical bandit, he was broad-shouldered and had a twisted scar on his face. "Why is the Black Rose Sect aiding this insignificant village?" the leader sneered.
Caelum's eyes narrowed, his expression growing cold. "That is none of your concern."
Drawing his sword from its sheath, the blade shimmered under the sunlight. Its hilt was intricately designed, embedded with black roses. It was a gift from his master, given to him when he began his journey as a sword cultivator.
Closing his eyes, Caelum channeled his qi into the sword, whispering softly, "Awaken, Bloodthorn."
The silvery blade began to morph, turning a deep shade of crimson, almost as if it was thirsting for blood. Dark, sinister patterns emerged along the blade, giving it a demonic appearance.
"This skirmish has dragged on for far too long," Caelum remarked.
Even though they both stood at the Late Stage of Core Formation, as a sword cultivator, Caelum possessed a naturally superior offensive capability. Moreover, unlike these bandits, whose cultivation techniques were hardly worth mentioning, Caelum was a disciple of the Black Rose Sect. His methods, refined and potent, were all ranked within the esteemed Earth Rank.
It's time to end this, Caelum thought, his grip tightening around Bloodthorn.
The bandit leader sensed the imminent danger, his instincts screaming that Caelum intended to end the battle in a single, decisive strike. In a desperate move, he activated his own technique, "Inferno Vortex," gathering fire elemental energy in his palms and shaping it into a swirling column of raging flames.
However, just as he lunged forward, Caelum's eyes snapped open, now red and demonic. In a flash of scarlet light, Caelum appeared behind the bandit leader, as swift as a ghost. The fiery attack, devoid of its intended target, veered off course and slammed into a nearby tree. The tree instantly caught fire, its wood hissing and cracking as it was consumed by the blaze.
The bandit leader's eyes widened in disbelief. Before he could even process what had happened, his body tensed, and in the next moment, his head cleanly separated from his torso, falling to the ground with a dull thud.
Caelum sighed, casting a glance at Bloodthorn, now stained with the bandit leader's blood. The sword seemed to pulse with life as it absorbed the fresh blood, glowing a vibrant crimson for a brief moment before reverting back to its original, elegant form.
As efficient as ever, Bloodthorn, Caelum thought, sheathing the sword once more
"It took you long enough," a voice drawled, tinted with amusement.
Both Caelum and Hughie turned to see Amelia perched atop a grotesque mountain of dead Core Formation and Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Hughie let out a hearty laugh, his previously enraged form now settled back to its normal state. "Ah, Senior Sister, these poor souls really drew the short straw having to face you."
Caelum raised an eyebrow at the comment, thinking to himself, Getting pulverized to death by Junior Brother doesn't sound like a picnic either. But his gaze upon Amelia sharpened. Still, Hughie's got a point. Soul techniques are the worst. Not only do they inflict excruciating pain, but they rob a cultivator of their chance at reincarnation. Just the perfect arsenal for our sadistic Junior Sister.
Suddenly, a half-dead cultivator, who'd been playing possum, began to scramble away.
Amelia laughed gleefully. "Ah, I was waiting for one of you to try something!"
In one fluid motion, she launched a dagger. It cut through the air with deadly precision, piercing the escaping cultivator's head and continuing its flight, shattering a window in one of the nearby village houses. A blood-curdling scream followed.
Amelia's eyes widened. "Oh, spirits, I didn't mean to—"
Caelum shook his head. "Master will not be pleased with this collateral damage, Amelia."
She scowled and shot both of them a threatening glare. "Master isn't going to hear about this. Understand?"
Hughie rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I, uh, didn't see anything. Did you, Brother Caelum?"
This is going to be a long day, Caelum thought, suppressing a sigh.
The village leader, a frail old man with a crooked back and white, wispy hair, approached them cautiously, his legs visibly trembling. With a deep bow, he said, "Esteemed cultivators, our humble village owes you a great debt for driving away those ruffians. We are eternally grateful."
Conveniently, he made no mention of the unfortunate villager who met an untimely death.
Hughie grinned awkwardly. "Ah, no need to thank me, old man. I had a blast."
The village leader managed a strained smile but inwardly quivered. Why did these cultivators from the demonic sect save us? What could they possibly want? Fearing that they might take offense if not offered something, he cleared his throat. "Um, we have some gold that—"
Amelia waved a dismissive hand. "Old man, keep your gold. We're not interested."
The village leader's face paled. If not gold, then what…?
Swallowing hard, he blurted out, his voice tinged with shame, "We can also offer some young women to—" His eyes darted nervously between Caelum and Hughie, gauging their reactions.
Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Women? Why not men? Why not old men?" She shot the village leader a playful glance, making the elder's blood run cold.
Before the situation could get more awkward, Caelum interrupted, his voice calm yet assertive, "Our Master sent us on this mission. We have no desire for any offerings from the villagers. Our job is done."
Hearing this, the village leader let out a sigh of profound relief, his knees almost buckling from the weight lifted off his shoulders.
Thank the gods they're leaving. I don't think our village could handle any more 'help' from demonic cultivators, he thought, still shaking from the whole ordeal.
"Ah, I've finally found you."
All eyes darted upward, locking onto the figure of an old man hovering in the air. His long grey hair cascaded down to his waist, swaying gently in the wind. Dressed in weathered martial arts robes, he looked like a relic from a bygone era.
Yet the most startling thing about him was the presence he radiated; it was as if the world itself bent to his will. Trees, that had stood tall for centuries, now seemed to lean towards him, almost like disciples bowing before a master. The very air felt heavier, filled with a pressure that made even breathing feel like a challenge.
Caelum's eyes widened in realization, his voice trembling as he whispered, "Origin Realm..."
