Chapter 172
To be honest, Drayken’s strength had been a little lacklustre before, simply because he hadn’t had the time to grow yet. Although he had reached the Fourth Circle as a Mage, that was clearly not enough.
With every passing second, his Aura continued to grow due to his Aura Farming Spell. However, it was still a passive skill and didn’t have much of an immediate effect, his Aura’s power had increased by barely over 20%.
In fact, Eryke had benefited the most from it; his Aura had already increased by 50%, mostly due to the Earth, where he had become a hot topic that shook the entire world.
But even then, his strength wasn’t apparent enough when he used his Aura.
Now that Drayken had not only leveled up his Dragon Bloodline but also gained this supreme skill, a surge of confidence welled up within him.
This confidence stemmed from his newfound strength, he felt as if he could even compete with a Telekinetic Master using this skill alone. Of course, that was only a theory, and he would need to test it himself.
As they were walking, Pierce approached them, his round body panting from exertion.
“Wait, I forgot to give you the pass so you can enter the Dragon Hunting Festival.”
“…” Drayken silently took the pass. Then both he and Synthia turned around and left, leaving Pierce behind.
After they left, Drayken flashed a mysterious smile and murmured in his heart, ‘You are dead.’ Then he walked away with Synthia.
Pierce was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he gritted his teeth. But in the end, only a helpless sigh escaped him:
‘I’m just an eternal slave now… what can I do?’
His eyes flashed with a mysterious glint before he turned and walked back to the mansion that had been captured for him.
Once inside, the helpless, bitter expression vanished, replaced by a complex mix of emotions.
He stepped into his office and fell silent, pressing his fingers together in complete stillness.
Though his face was hidden behind his hands, the corner of his lips couldn’t help but curve in triumph.
At first, a quiet giggle slipped out, then, a laugh erupted and echoed throughout the room.
“I no longer have the Life and Death Pill, hahaha. That bastard really thought I was so simple. But I am anything but simple.” His grin widened uncontrollably.
“Not only did I find the Life and Death Pill through my grandpa’s research, but I also found a cure for it. Though… the cure only works if it’s taken before the body fully digests the pill.”
He clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing sharply.
Pierce felt like he was on top of the world. He had even outsmarted the dragons:
“Now that they’ve left, I can contact everyone and launch a full-scale assault on them. Then I’ll rip that bastard apart, and—”
His mind wandered to the image of Synthia, and a lecherous smile twisted his face. Drool even leaked from the corner of his mouth.
“I’ll have my way with her before she dies.”
Just then, the door creaked open.
Pierce’s expression changed instantly, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes.
“Who’s there?” he shouted.
Gradually, a figure came into view, a woman with fluffy dog tails and two canine-like ears. She was a beauty in every sense.
Pierce’s face turned pale. A sense of dread welled up in his heart.
“R-Rowena? Why are you here?”
“Hehe…” Rowena twirled a dagger between her fingers, her voice laced with bloodlust. “Why do you think I’m here?”
“Wh-what are you going to do?” Pierce hiccuped, eyes wide in terror. His body trembled as he stammered, “I…”
His hand began to move toward a hidden button beneath the table.
But Rowena was faster.
She lunged forward and slit his throat without hesitation.
But in that brief moment, Pierce had already managed to press the button, and an alarm blared throughout the mansion.
Unfortunately, it was too late for him. Blood gushed violently from his neck, spurting like a fountain and splattering across the room.
He collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud, his eyes still wide open in horror.
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside, but Rowena only shrugged casually. With her current skill level, there was no way she could fight off the guards, so she leapt through the window and dashed away on all fours.
***
Drayken and Synthia entered a narrow alleyway and were immediately confronted by a group of thugs but Drayken took care of them with ease.
After a short while, Rowena appeared.
“Master, I’ve killed him,” she reported.
“Good.” Drayken nodded, a satisfied expression on his face. He gently patted her head, causing Rowena to blush. She knew her master was a dragon—and as long as they weren’t human, she would gladly serve anyone who stood against humanity.
“Let’s go now,” Synthia said, tugging at his sleeve.
“Wait a minute. We still have someone else here.”
“Huh?” Synthia blinked in confusion, just as a hummingbird fluttered into view.
Drayken tied the Telekinetic Serum to the bird and gave it a light pat on the back.
“Go.”
The hummingbird swiftly turned and flew away.
“What was that?” Synthia asked.
“Something mysterious,” Drayken chuckled. “Also, didn’t you say we already have a spy planted among the participants of the Dragon Hunting Festival?”
“Yeah,” Synthia nodded.
“Then let’s join them.”
***
The hummingbird traveled swiftly and landed in a quiet corner of an alleyway.
After a short while, a man completely cloaked in a robe appeared.
“Man, I finally lost them,” he muttered, grumbling to himself. Zarek picked up the hummingbird, unwrapped the small package it carried, and stared at the vial of Telekinetic Serum with narrowed eyes.
This could be his chance, a way to level up his Telekinesis skill and finally be free from the pain that came with it.
Without hesitation, he opened the vial and drank the serum, gulping it down in uneven swallows.
Almost immediately, a strange energy surged through his body, overwhelming him. And from that energy came pain, an agony so deep, it felt like it tore at his very soul…