Chapter 854 Argument
Astaroth wasn't unconscious for long, but while he was, the monsters' efforts to enter the cave and steal the fruit redoubled, their minds beguiled by the scent of the fruit as it had matured.
Even Astaroth's allies couldn't lie to themselves; the fruit clearly attracted their bodies. But they had a better grasp on their minds, given they were linked to each other and Astaroth.
The only one that remained unaffected was Leon. He wondered why, at first, since the same fruit was what had made him as powerful as he was right now.
But when the battle was over, and he laid his eyes on it, he understood. His body was telling him this wasn't the way to get stronger anymore.
But an argument quickly erupted in the alcove about who should get it.
"What do you mean, I couldn't have defended this pace without you, dragon?! We were holding out fine before you got here! The king already promised me the fruit!" Selena shouted, standing in front of the glowing fruit, still hanging from its branch.
"I didn't hear him promise you anything. Why should I care about your word alone? This fruit should be mine for the taking. I deserve it most since I was the most useful in its defence," Shegror argued, her eyes still locked on it.
"If you lay a hand on it, I will tear you to shreds. To hell with your draconic bloodline," Selena growled, her eyes going yellow.
"You think your threats scare me, kitty cat? I've killed stronger foes than you in my sleep. I'll melt all traces of you away from existence," Shegror responded, scales growing on her face again.
"Alright, enough!" Leon interjected.
"The decision isn't ours to make. The king revived the fruit. It is on his lands. And he is our ruler. It's his decision to make. I see a single hand move toward that fruit, and that hand gets cut off. Understood?" he threatened, standing directly between them and the Evolution Fruit.
Selena gave him a flustered gaze.
"I swear the king promised me the fruit, Leon. It's rightfully mine."
Leon raised his hand to shut her up.
"If that is the case, then you won't mind waiting for him to wake up and restate this promise. In any case, I stand by my threat. If any of you try anything stupid, I will personally punish them."
Selena kicked the ground under her foot, angry that she had to wait for the fruit, now that it lay before her, ripe for the taking.
Shegror huffed at Leon, taking a step forward.
"I don't owe you anything, lion. I don't obey your orders. Step aside, or I'll melt you, too," she threatened, her throat starting to glow green.
Leon unleashed his mana pressure on her, the difference in their power instantly becoming clear.
"Try me, you low-class winged lizard. I've chased away dragons before. Take one more step, and I'll make a bed out of your wings and a mantle decoration out of your skull," Leon growled, fur growing on his face.
Shegror shuddered under the pressure, realizing that even in a weakened state, Leon still overpowered her.
She wasn't in a fighting state, either. Most of her mana she had expended, and her stamina was low.
She needed to rest.
"Tch! I know he'll give the fruit to me, anyway. It's the most sensible thing to do. A dragon in the legendary realm is much more valuable than a striped cat. I'll wait for him, and then I'll have the fruit for myself and eat it in front of all of you."
Genie was in a corner, her gaze locked on the fruit, drool dripping from her maw. She was controlling every instinct in her body to pounce on it, with White Death by her side, watching her closely.
He could understand the urge to get stronger, oh so much. He once had that same urge himself.
But, ever since he evolved into this lightning version of himself, he felt much more confident in his power. And he knew there was still room for him to grow without relying on such a cheat item.
'Control the urge, daughter. You don't need this to grow more powerful than any of these fools. You can still become so much more than what you are now,' White told Genie through the mental connection.
Her head snapped toward him, her breath rough, and her eyes completely dilated. But she turned her head away again, facing the cave wall, trying to focus her mind elsewhere.
'Good. You are better than these fools,' White complimented her.
He was almost sure the urges in her body were a hundred times worse than the ones in the other beings in the room, and yet, instead of arguing, she was working on controlling herself.
This showed a mental fortitude that the others would benefit from gaining.
Leon observed every being in the room, and he could tell they were fighting back their power lust as best they could. But if Astaroth didn't wake up soon, there was no saying how long they would resist their urges.
He would hate to have to beat them into submission.
Looking at the floor next to him, he could see Astaroth's chest rising and dropping rhythmically, his breathing regular, as if asleep.
But Leon could see past this; his senses were much more perceptive than the others. He could tell something was struggling inside Astaroth's mind and soul, and he only hoped whatever the issue was, it would resolve itself for the best and promptly.
He had instantly recognized the mana signature from the wave that had engulfed the forest when the souls started going back toward here. He knew this was Astaroth.
But he also felt like something else was at play.
'You better win against whatever this is, Astaroth. I didn't lose against you and swear allegiance to you just to see you lose to corruption or possession from another being,' Leon prayed.
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