Chapter 424 The Frost Dragon's Offer
The frost dragon approached Shin with a gentle demeanor, noticing the sadness in his expression.
Having personally experienced the fear of impending doom, it understood the weight of such burden better than most.
"Pffft, you think you're strong? Please."
"Who wants to hang out with a loser like you anyway."
"I can't believe I gave birth to him. Is he even my son!?"
"We hereby strip you of the privilege to use our name and consider you exiled!"
'Haa...'
'Flashes of useless memories,' The frost dragon shook his head, reminiscing a distant past from thousands of years ago.
Seeing Shin in his current state brought back a weakness the frost dragon had long forgotten.
'We aren't so different after all,' he mused while gazing at Shin.
Aware of Shin's dire circumstances, the frost dragon's suggestion to visit his dwelling was not intended to mock him. Rather, it was a
genuine effort to safeguard the white wolf.
Despite attaining immense power and status, the frost dragon had been forgotten by many. Those who did remember him regarded him only as a
source of fear, not respect or affection. Fear was the only sentiment associated with his name.
Given his colossal and majestic form, it was unsurprising that anyone who caught a glimpse of him would instantly faint.
Due to his immense power, even he couldn't completely contain his aura.
Solitude had become a constant companion for the frost dragon as no being dared to approach him. Even among his own kind, who worshipped
the Supreme Dragon Celestial as deities, he was ostracized.
Despite their animosity towards him for possessing immense strength, the only thing they could do about it was simply disregard him.
After centuries of silence, the frost dragon was lured by a captivating hymn and traveled a great distance to discover its source. To his surprise, he found that it was Shin who had summoned him, and upon witnessing the young wolf's bravery, he believed that Shin would be receptive to his request.
However, consumed by his pride, he had transformed his request into a condition, causing an unexpected setback.
'I understand what you are saying...,' the frost dragon stated, gazing at Shin with a knowing expression.
Shin began to apologize, saying 'Sorry, but right now—' Before he finished speaking, the frost dragon interjected with another idea.
The frost dragon proposed, 'Why don't you come and dwell in my territory?'
'Hold on, did you not hear what I just said?' Shin began to retort, only to realize the true intention behind the frost dragon's words. A look of realization dawned on him as he understood what the dragon truly meant.
As he looked at the frost dragon, who was smirking, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.
'Wait, do you mean to say that...'
'I am extending an invitation to you and your people to come reside in my kingdom,' the frost dragon declared.
'I guarantee the safety of all who come with you; not a single fur on your bodies will be harmed by those accursed Supremes,' the frost
dragon assured.
*gulp*
Given the choice between the protection of an Emperor-status dragon and the protection of the Heavenly Wolf Family, the decision was difficult to make.
'The Heavenly Wolf Family excel in concealing themselves; that's why none of the Supremes managed to locate them thus far.'
'Nonetheless, I doubt their strength rivals that of the Supremes, for if it did, there would be no reason to remain in hiding,' Shin
speculated.
Shin silently affirmed to himself as he activated his all-seeing eyes and gazed upon the frost dragon, 'Undoubtedly, the frost dragon is one of the strongest beings I have encountered thus far.'
His eyes strained under the immense pressure as he managed to steal a glance at the vast aura and mana emanating from the frost dragon, leaving him awestruck and intimidated.
Shin recognized the sheer magnitude of mana he was witnessing, having only encountered a similar amount when he first met Blanca and Terran.
Therefore, he shouldn't have been that shocked!
But he was stunned nonetheless. Despite the frost dragon's efforts to control his massive power and not scare others, Shin could tell that he was struggling. It was clear to him that the dragon was doing his best, but even then, he couldn't completely conceal the overwhelming strength he possessed.
The mere leakage of mana from the frost dragon was already comparable to that of Terran and Blanca, making Shin shudder at the thought of the dragon's true power.
*gulp*
Though it was clear that the frost dragon would offer better protection, the decision to accept his offer was not an easy one, as Shin contemplated, '...but I'm still not sure if it's the best course of action.'
Shin faced a crucial decision, weighing the benefits of choosing the side with immense power against the benefits of siding with extreme stealth. Regardless of which path he chose, his chances of survival were promising.
"Could you give me some time to think about it?", Shin asked.
The frost dragon responded with a slight nod, accompanied by these words: "Of course, but I find it hard to believe you have any time..."
He stood up and walked away, to wash his hands, as he had finished his meal.
Orion was once again left bewildered. While Shin and the dragon communicated telepathically, Shin would sometimes inadvertently speak out loud, leaving Orion in the dark about the conversation's content. As a result, Orion could only watch Shin intently, trying to glean any clues from his expressions.
With a heavy sigh, Shin shut his eyes to contemplate the appropriate action, 'What should my next move be?'
'wait...'
'Does anyone know about the frost dragon's domain?', Shin asked himself.
Shin resorted to telepathy once more, despite the frost dragon being within close proximity of about two meters, leaving Orion clueless yet again.
'Is the location of your kingdom public?', he asked.
Continuing the conversation, the frost dragon nodded his head and added, 'But I must warn you, not many visitors come to my land.'
'My home is exclusive to my people only, and outsiders are strictly prohibited.'
'What are the conditions like in your kingdom?' Shin asked, curious.
'Considering you are a frost dragon, I assume your kingdom is frozen solid, am I right?'
Shin expressed concern, 'I fear my family wouldn't be able to withstand the cold and may freeze to death.'
'Haha, worry not.'
'I am the frost dragon, do you think I am incapable of blessing your family?'
'Blessing?'
The frost dragon affirmed his capability to protect Shin's family, assuring him that with his blessing, they would be immune to low-temperature conditions, including the frost that would be present in his kingdom.
Shin understood the implications of the dragon's proposal and found it to be far superior, thus nodding in agreement.
Just as Shin was leaning towards accepting the frost dragon's offer, a deafening roar reverberated through the area, interrupting their conversation.
A gate, identical to the one before the city, had suddenly materialized before them. The guards were well aware of it, having witnessed this strange occurrence before.
Returning back was Mike, bringing along new information.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l