"Those... weren't for you to see," I muttered, still trying to regain my balance.

The Elder Wyvern approached me, his long neck straightening as his violet eyes glared into my soul.

"Why? Because you need to run away from your past at all costs?" he asked, his low growls freezing me in place.

I was unable to respond to his question. I had always believed I had found closure to my life on Earth by defeating One, but I knew the Elder was right. Constantly running away was all I seemed to be able to do, and maybe seeking the power of the gods was also a way of escaping. What from, I couldn't answer, though.

"Tell me, boy, what is it you desire?"

I looked up with a slightly surprised expression. Was this some kind of fortune-telling experience now or something?magic

"To save my family," I responded after giving it some thought, but the Elder wasn't satisfied with my answer.

"Lies," he roared, backing away again and letting out a sigh that disrupted the flow of bind itself. "You do not have a noble heart."

"Are you saying that I don't know what I want?"

"We resemble each other more than I would like to admit, half-breed. Your desires are obvious, and yet you keep running away. Hatred and violence are imbued within your heart, and I'm sure you know the reason why."

"..."

"Now... what is it you want?"

I clutched my fists, realizing what my desire was. Shame arose within me, not due to embarrassment, but disgust. The Dragonkin had suffered for so long, and because of the injustices that they had faced, I knew Asthia or Selena were unable to live a life truly at peace.

A world that refused to accept a race due to past conflicts had ruptured the lives of teenagers, their minds forever plagued by the screams of their victims. This desire of mine... there was no running from it. I knew exactly what I wanted, and it was exactly what the Elder Wyvern wanted to hear.Whether they mirrored his own goals eluded me, but it seemed like he would accept the contract if I accepted what I wanted.

"I want to annihilate the enemy."

The Dragon god smiled.

"I will carry out that wish for you, then. Let us hope you can survive this, half-breed."

"!!"

I was enveloped in a swirl of purple energy. I dropped to my knees again, gagging as blood surged into my mouth. I coughed it out, tainting the rock below me in a crimson red. I knew what was about to come, and simply being in proximity to the bind was already affecting my body. I braced for impact, noticing that the energy was closing in around me.

The violet bind suddenly entered my body. I screamed in agony, feeling every vein in my body be overrun with energy. The current of power flowed through my limbs and into my core, and I immediately realized why so many people were unable to control the power of the Elder.

Their cores were simply undeveloped. A smug smile spread on my face. Amidst the pain, I knew that I wouldn't die, and that was already a massive step in the right direction. Small strands of hair fell onto the ground, their snow-white color shocking me.

My vision flashed a dark-violet hue momentarily, and I understood instantly what my appearance resembled. The vision I had experienced...

So this was the decision I had to make, huh? Well, the choice was already made, but it finally made sense. The voice that had resonated alongside my own was not Asthia's, it was the Elder Wyvern's...

The pain died down, and I managed to stand up calmly. Serenity had completely overtaken my mind, the excruciating experience feeling like it had cleansed me of all doubts. I looked ahead, realizing the Elder Wyvern's aura was diminishing.

"Most intriguing," he growled, "It seems like you are the fifth Dragon in history to successfully form a contract with me. I congratulate you, Jay Cadmium."

I was unable to respond. A second mind seemed to be clashing against my own, and I knew it was only a matter of time before it managed to defeat my own consciousness. Was this the rage of the Elder Wyvern?

My hands gripped the top of my head, digging into the skin. The endless voice to kill all opposition nullified all my other senses, and I realized then and there how ridiculous my promise with Asthia had been.

Maybe some part of me had hoped to genuinely return to my friends, but I only managed to let out a small idea at the laugh now. It took all my strength just to think straight and overpowering the energy and the rage within me was impossible.I glanced at the Elder Wyvern one final time.

"I'll slaughter the enemy."

My words shot me out of the dimension. The weird buzz crept throughout my body one final time, and just like that, I had returned to Lares.

"Now then," I muttered, reabsorbing midnight into the void and adjusting the sleeves of my black t-shirt, "let's begin."

----

ARES HEARTH'S POV:

BOOM

I walked up to the battered body of the Empress, my eyes consumed with amber-colored energy. Seeing the Dragon Empress's forces on the Western front had surprised me and halted my advance momentarily, but Selena Darck was not able to take on an S-rank and come out victorious.

It had taken me longer than I would've expected to take her down, but she was nothing more than a sturdy obstacle that stood in my way. Sooner or later, she was bound to fall.

"Take her. She will be useful to us," I ordered, allowing the most experienced adventurers to handle the boy of the Empress.

I could tell my subordinates were unsure of the reasoning behind my command, but they obeyed nonetheless. It was a shame that I no longer had access to Hugo Liech's long-range firepower, but the opposition before me didn't pose a threat.

I swung my arm outward, sending an avalanche of earth that crushed the Dragon battalions within seconds. Their screams engulfed the battlefield as two giant spears arose behind me, promptly shooting right into the enemy's defensive buildings and smashing them immediately.

"Unfortunately for you," I whispered, slowly advancing into the heart of Dragonkin territory and addressing myself to the corpses, "you never stood a chance against me."

The thousands of dwarves entered the small outdoor capital of the Dragons. The citizens had evacuated into the main palace...

"All adventurers, come with me," I ordered, advancing toward the golden palace. A weird kind of energy seemed to be emanating from the center, and it only seemed to intensify as I approached a small gateway.

Multiple elite guards coated in black leaped at me from all directions upon entering the main room. My arms shot out simultaneously, immediately killing the attackers as bits of earth impaled their bodies.

I touched the stone archway, realizing that a Dragon was needed to activate it. Was this... the passageway to the real hidden city of Lares?

"Get me the Empress. We're entering the main city."