Chapter138-The Reason, A Narrow Escape?
Upon glimpsing the activated Dragonheart Stone, Howard finally grasped why the Oriental Divine Dragon had chosen to merge with him; it was the stone that had been instrumental.
This realization filled Howard's heart with boundless gratitude.
Fortunate was he, for having made the swift decision to purchase the Dragonheart Stone, even when others saw it as a loss.
Yet, it wasn't just the Dragonheart Stone that was pivotal; the Beastwhisperer Legguards played a significant role as well.
Without them, even if the Oriental Divine Dragon had willingly offered a pact, Howard's inability to comprehend its language and his internal resistance could have doomed the contract to failure.
In a serendipitous weave of coincidences, the Oriental Divine Dragon had successfully bound itself to him through a Soul Blood Pact, catapulting Howard to the position of the greatest beneficiary in this venture.
Otherwise, even if Wales had come to his rescue, such boons would have been unattainable.
The Soul Blood Pact granted a permanent boost to his attributes, and coupled with an SSS-level talent, the magnitude of this windfall was such that should it become known, it might evoke a fierce torrent of envy potent enough to be fatal.
An SSS-level talent—such was a rarity that spanned centuries, graced only upon a minuscule number of individuals. Its preciousness was beyond measure.
"Whew, worthy indeed of an SSS-level talent; even at level one, it yields such power. If it progresses further with leveling up, its strength will undoubtedly become even more formidable."
Howard silently resolved within the depths of his heart to harness the full potential of his True Dragon Power, the gift of his talent.
Of course, Howard wasn't the only beneficiary of this union.
After signing the Soul Blood Pact with the Oriental Divine Dragon, Howard's body had undergone a transformation.
Shelley Chan, having received Howard's essence, also gained an augmentation in her attributes, and her condition was wholly restored.
Indeed, her Nirvana State was no more!
At this moment, Shelley Chan had returned to her prime.
Under such circumstances, unless new reinforcements arrived, the remaining adversaries like Solyes stood no chance against her.
"If you're awake, then there's no need to feign sleep."
Sensing the shift in Howard's aura, Shelley Chan spared him a glance, her voice tinged with resignation, "Let this matter be buried in our hearts."
"About that..."
Howard was not one to shirk responsibility after reaping benefits. He promptly said, "I can take responsibility!"
Shelley Chan looked at Howard intently, her voice soft yet firm, "You take responsibility? With what?"
At her words, Howard's breath hitched, and he found himself at a loss for words.
The disparity in strength between them was simply too vast—it was like one was in the heavens, and the other grounded firmly on earth.
Even if Howard were to enter that state of fusion with the Oriental Divine Dragon again, he wouldn't stand a chance against Shelley Chan.
That prior fusion had been his first, akin to the protection afforded to a novice, allowing him to briefly hold his own against Solyes.
Moreover, in a true battle, even if the Oriental Divine Dragon took control, it wouldn't match Solyes.
Their ability to repel their enemies was purely due to the latter's unfamiliarity with their own skills.
In reality, after Howard's transformation, he hadn't inflicted any significant damage on Solyes.
The only ones he had managed to kill were merely the ordinary awakened!
"Alright, I've recovered; we can leave now."
Shelley Chan masked her emotions, her expression turning icy as she pulled Howard along.
With a mere thought, they soared into the air, swiftly flying out through the crevices of the canyon.
As for the Consort Dragon?
A Level 100 Epic-tier Boss was not something Shelley Chan, even at her peak, could claim to slay with confidence.
And considering the possibility of other Bosses lurking beneath the dark river, why would she waste time there?
Her priority was to return to Crimson Dragon City posthaste.
She wanted nothing more than to leave this place behind as quickly as possible.
After Shelley Chan and Howard departed, the dark river surged, and a purple shadow flickered into existence.
A murmuring voice echoed faintly, "Hiss... Such delicious essence of desire! The physique of these two, truly perfect! A pity they recovered so swiftly. Had they coupled a few more times, perhaps I wouldn't even need others to break free from my bonds."
"Alas, who knows how long it will be before I encounter others..."
The sigh diminished, and the purple shadow disappeared completely into the depths of the dark river.
Unbeknownst to Howard and Shelley Chan, the dark waters of the Medea Ruins housed such a bizarre entity, one that had cunningly ensnared them both!
Bursting forth from the darkness, Howard greedily inhaled the fresh air above, indifferent to even the glaring sunlight.
It had to be said, the darkness of those moments had been unbearably oppressive.
Shelley Chan remained silent, one hand firmly grasping Howard as a glow like fire burst forth within her.
Behind her, the phantom of a phoenix appeared, reveling in its flight through the sky.
Having returned to her zenith and drawing ever closer to Crimson Dragon City, she naturally wanted to avoid unnecessary complications and hastened towards the city.
Their route was altered due to the dark river's interference; they couldn't pass through the usual checkpoints but could fly directly into the territory of Crimson Dragon City.
Once they entered the domain of Crimson Dragon City, those pursuers from the Alliance would dare not act recklessly.
However, Shelley Chan's full-powered surge immediately shocked the group of pursuers.
Solyes, aware of some of Shelley Chan's gifted abilities, didn't expect her to recover her strength so rapidly.
Sensing Shelley Chan's presence, he immediately gave chase with desperate fervor.
He aimed to capitalize on Shelley Chan's perceived weakness and slay her!
Eliminating Shelley Chan and seizing Howard could, he imagined, grant him control over the Oriental Divine Dragon!
He was unaware that Howard had already formed a Soul Blood Pact with the Oriental Divine Dragon, thus he still harbored illusions of capturing Howard.
Solyes was a formidable opponent in his own right. Although not as powerful as Shelley Chan, his speed was considerable.
Even with Howard as an encumbrance, Solyes rapidly closed in on them.
"Ha ha ha, Shelley, you dare to be so brazen when, at best, you've recovered only 20% of your strength!"
"This time, I will not afford you any chances, meet your end with Ragefire Cleave!"
Solyes wasted no time on banter; as he drew near, he brandished his greatsword.
From it, a roaring crimson flame erupted, like a surging wave, crashing towards Howard and Shelley Chan.
Feeling the searing heat of the flames, a chill went down Howard's spine.
Yet, Shelley Chan swiftly turned around, charging headfirst into the approaching crimson wave of fire.
Boom—
In an instant, Shelley Chan, with Howard in tow, plunged into the fiery maelstrom. As Howard looked on in astonishment, the phoenix phantom behind Shelley Chan unfurled its wings.
In the blink of an eye, the red flames were devoured, absorbed by the phantom, which solidified its form considerably.
"Strike!"
With one step forward, Shelley Chan's phoenix avatar shot forth like an arrow released from its bow, blazing past Solyes with such speed that he had no chance to swing his greatsword or cast a skill.
Solyes' pupils dilated in shock as the phoenix illusion pierced his body before his sword could even complete its arc.
A burst of flames exploded from within Solyes, incinerating him into ash that scattered with the wind.
Until his last breath, Solyes couldn't comprehend when Shelley Chan had acquired the ability to devour flames.
Indeed, after her union with Howard, Shelley Chan had not only restored her strength to its peak but had also grasped new skills.
Moreover, Solyes had miscalculated, underestimating Shelley Chan at that moment, which led to his downfall by a single skill.
Had Solyes continued to lurk in the shadows as before, waiting for Shelley Chan to enter a Nirvana State before jumping out to reap the rewards, perhaps Shelley Chan might have been caught off guard.
After all, the pursuers sent by the Alliance were too numerous!
Alas, Solyes, fearing others might steal his thunder, inadvertently offered up his own life.
Nevertheless, Shelley Chan's slaying of Solyes still consumed a precious dozen seconds.
While it may seem a brief moment, to those supreme warriors, it was enough to close the gap.
With Solyes fallen, the remaining pursuers were racked with nerves, not daring to advance, but instead harried Shelley Chan incessantly.
Only when reinforcements swarmed in, with over a dozen formidable fighters joining forces, did they dare to converge and besiege Shelley Chan in a frenzied assault.
Despite the boost in her strength, Shelley Chan, committed to protecting Howard, was constrained from unleashing her full power, resorting to a fighting retreat.
Even so, she edged ever closer to the domains of Crimson Dragon City, which set the group of pursuers on edge.
"Damn it, go all out!" The howls rang out. "If we fail, you all know the kind of punishment that awaits us back home!"
However, just as they steeled themselves for a desperate struggle, the distant sound of dragon cries filled the air.
Looking up, from the direction of Crimson Dragon City, they could see numerous crimson figures speeding through the sky, approaching with incredible velocity!
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