The moment Teest noticed the fire igniting on Nol, he planned to jump away. Nol's push added fuel to the fire, enabling Teest to successfully leap back several steps.
It wasn't that the Mad Monk was heartless; he recognized the fluctuation of power emanating from Nol—
Nol's current "human form" wasn't his true body. He had been maintaining it with magic.
It was like compressing a large blanket into a tiny bundle using cloth. If the external stimulus was too strong, the thin cloth wrapping would break open, revealing the true contents.
The fluctuation on Nol's body was a sign of the "transformation magic" breaking.
A huge shadow rose in the mist. Teest looked up, completely focused. He had rarely seen a real dragon, let alone a Dracolich that only existed in legends.
The fog surged, and the silhouette resembled a dragon, but it wasn't as massive as a real dragon.
From the posture, Nol seemed to be crouching on the ground, shifting occasionally, probably searching for the most suitable position. His body expanded and contracted, likewise searching for the most appropriate form. Teest didn't feel the unique oppressive aura of a dragon, which meant Nol must be restraining it.
Curious, Teest approached to get a clearer view.
The Mad Monk had his own caution. He seldom approached a massive monster voluntarily. If he did, the purpose was undoubtedly hunting… but now, who's to say this wasn't a form of hunting? He had to completely capture the other with the net of his gaze.
As the fog receded layer by layer in front of him, Teest could see the other's skin. Yes, skin, not the bones or mummy he had imagined. That body looked even plump, just lacking the warmth of a living creature.
The black scales on the Dracolich's body were extraordinarily beautiful, different from any dragon scales he had seen—whether the natural dragon scales enshrined in the church or the finely polished display pieces in top material shops, none had such shimmering luster.
Surprisingly, Nol had three pairs of overly large wings on his back. The wing membranes were a special bluish-red color, filled with strange patterns, and had a soft, visceral sheen. They also had peculiar folds, with pure black, eye-like moistness exposed in the spindle-shaped gaps.
Those wings wrapped around the body in a disordered manner, twisting into angles that dragon wings shouldn't have.
It was more like a bizarre embryo—part dragon, part beast—than a dragonling. It had the incomplete feel of a young monster, but that didn't detract from its surreal beauty.
Who would have thought, Teest only had time to take a brief glance.
He just stared at those strange wings for half a second longer, and his head buzzed as if a hundred fingers were digging into his brain.
Teest felt a warm and then cold sensation in his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He stumbled back two steps, feeling as if someone had violently squeezed his insides, causing unceasing sourness and numbness. His vision flickered and twisted, like having ingested poison, and his head felt as if it had been roasted, completely unable to think.
He wanted to collapse and retch, but he managed to stay standing.
The fog kept moving. As he retreated, it gently concealed more details, leaving only vague shadows. When Teest finally regained his thoughts, Nol's claws emerged from the fog.
The black scales were still beautiful. The recent events seemed like an illusion. Nol now appeared as an unmistakable dragon—a not-so-large dragon with eyes burning with blue fire.
It had the shape of a white dragon skilled in magic, looking agile and elegant. It also had the pitch-black scales of a black dragon, mixed with the surreal blue of undead creatures. Teest had never seen such a beautiful dragon, but that near-fatal glimpse still left him disoriented.
Was it a hallucination he saw? Or was it a transitional form during transformation?
Why couldn't he see the full form? What exactly was it…?
Why did it hurt him?
Teest blinked with effort.
That extraordinary beauty still lingered in his mind, but the impression uncontrollably faded away, like a vivid dream. Only the dried bloodstains on his skin reminded him that the "anomaly" had existed.
[Are you okay?] The burning sensation was gone. Nol worriedly nudged Teest with the tip of his claw.
[What a coincidence. I was about to ask you the same question.] Teest quickly wiped the blood from his face. His head was still a bit dizzy, but fortunately, he still had his strength and sense of direction.
Nol tried to clear his throat to speak, but accidentally spat out a burst of blue flame instead. They immediately burned through the fallen leaves in front of him, creating a small circle of scorched earth. He quickly closed his mouth, his too-sharp fangs accidentally biting into his tongue, causing Mr. Dracolich to whimper.
[I feel okay.] In the end, Nol had to continue the conversation using telepathy. [The skill upgrade was successful.]
It was just that he really wasn't accustomed to this body. It was too big and too complex. For the moment, Nol could only wriggle around on the ground.
The hearing, smell, and vision of the dragon form were overly sensitive, bombarding his brain with a multitude of information—the rich scent of the forest was almost suffocating, his own breathing sounded like a typhoon landing, and Teest's heartbeat was deafening.
During his struggle, he plainly demonstrated [Breath of a False God] to Teest.
[So that's how it is,] Teest quickly read it and responded meaningfully.
[You don't seem very surprised,] Nol said while wriggling.
[First, I'm your Pope, remember? This isn't just a role-playing game. I had some mental preparation.] There was a hint of inexplicable pity in Teest's tone. [Second, you're now frantically digging in the mud… I'm quite concerned about the atmosphere, sorry.]
He wasn't the neurotic Eugene, unable to muster religious sentiments at this time. Teest frowned and carefully took two steps back to avoid his "God" flinging mud on him.
Faith should be practical, indeed.
Sensing Teest's retreat, Nol lay down on the ground in defeat, motionless.
[I don't want you to worship me,] he said dejectedly. [I just want to ask if you have any discoveries or insights…]
There were indeed some, but Teest wasn't sure if his brief glimpse could be accurately described—after all, he had only a faint impression left in his mind, unable to be expressed in words.
It was better to keep it to himself for now. The anomalies he had secretly noted weren't just this one.
[There are indeed insights.] Teest looked at the Dracolich lying on the ground as if dead. [Since the system can grant you almost "god-like" powers—it's certainly not just a simple world law. It has the ability to give out "god-level powers."]
[If I were a so-called "God", I wouldn't just want to break free from the system's constraints, I would want to dominate it, to have a share of it.]
[I think so too,] Nol responded listlessly, his mouth buried in the leaves.
But "dominating the system" was no easy task. It seemed the system had its own set of operating logic. Even as its creator, he couldn't just make the system give him a bonus. He could only exploit some logical loopholes.
For a second, Nol suddenly felt like he was competing with the Goddess of Life and the Eternal Son, scrambling for the "system" as if it was a delicious piece of cake.
Forget it, no more dreaming. Even with [Breath of a False God], his pitiful attributes made him at best a half-god. Not to mention the two ancient gods, he couldn't even beat a dragon leader.
The joy of skill enhancement gradually faded, and Nol buried his mouth deeper into the leaves.
As someone without ambition, he just wanted to find a way home and create a beautiful ending for Teest. He hoped those two gods wouldn't come looking for trouble…
[I have another insight,] Teest continued solemnly.
[Oh?]
[Since you feel okay, it seems "help" wasn't called by you.]
Nol was startled. He moved his head and listened attentively.
Faint cries for help came from under his front paw. He quickly and laboriously moved his paw away.
Nol had only managed to push Teest aside, and Kando was pressed into the leaves and mud. When Teest pulled it out, the candle was close to crying. Seeing the immensely large Nol, it swallowed its cry.
Teest tossed the candle in front of Nol's nose and found a spot between the dragon's claws to sit down comfortably.
Nol activated [Ash Remnants] again; his scales were warm and comfortable, smooth and fine to the touch. Skin against the scales felt like being embraced from all directions.
Teest collapsed on the scales, suddenly understanding why Nol always wanted to hug.
"Do you… ahem… have anything to say?" Nol finally managed to speak with his vocal cords, his rumbling voice causing the ground to tremble.
Teest leaned on his front paw, a warm bundle, not daring to move too much for fear of pressing the other.
"Nothing!"
Kando covered its eye with wax tears. Nol couldn't tell if it was just his imagination, but he felt like it was deliberately showing its bitten-off part.
"I don't want to interrogate you. If it weren't for you, the battle at The Manor wouldn't have gone so smoothly. I just want to talk to you."
Nol tried to soften his tone, but the dragon's vocal cords still rumbled. Although it was unlikely that there were people in the depths of the Black Forest, he still cast a soundproofing spell nearby.
The candle peeked out from between the wax tears. "You always use such a terrifying form to chat?"
".….."
Nol fell silent, not really wanting to admit that he hadn't found a way to change back yet… and he was quite enjoying Teest clinging to his claws.
"Fine, ask away. I can't run anyway," after a few seconds, the candle said resignedly.
"Do you have dragon blood?" Nol went straight to the point.
"Oh, yes," the candle said. "There's a string in my head that tells me to stay away from dragons and the Dragon's Lair, because they don't like me as a member—other than that, I know nothing."
Nol wanted to frown, but instead, he crinkled his nose, revealing all his sharp teeth.
Teest turned around curiously and reached out to touch the row of snow-white teeth.
They felt pretty good.
Seeing those sharp teeth, the candle shuddered and cautiously waved its wax tears. "It seems you don't understand what 'forgetting one's name' means… Right, the Mad Monk is an exception. Most people aren't as lucky as him."
"'Forgetting your name' isn't just forgetting your name. You forget everything related to that name—people you cherish, people you hate, everything you care about as 'you'. At most, you're left with some insignificant knowledge, like those amnesiacs who only remember common sense."
"If it weren't for 'dragon-related' knowledge being a matter of life and death, I wouldn't have any impression either."
"But you're not a Supplement Demon." The two huge blue dragon eyes stared intently at the candle.
The candle was silent, a tear of wax slowly flowing down its "head".
"A 'name' is one of a person's most precious possessions."
In the tranquil darkness, Teest picked up the conversation. "The Eternal Church takes it away to brainwash more easily. I've heard that some people use it as a bargaining chip—mortgaging 'self' is far more severe than mortgaging property or the body."
"Mr. Kando, you traded your name with someone, right? Let me guess, your insistence on following my husband is also part of the deal, isn't it?"
Nol immediately understood.
The candle's personality had nothing to do with strictness or discipline. In critical moments, there was no need for it to be so tight-lipped—if its name was in someone else's hands, that would explain it.
Who was the candle's trading partner?
It openly insulted the Goddess of Life and the Eternal Son, so it probably wasn't a follower of either. During the time it followed them, it never conveyed any information to the outside world—it was more like a pure tool sent to them, and it had accepted this role.
Moreover, whether it was originally a dragon or a hybrid of a dragon and another species, it shouldn't be in its current sad state. It's hard to imagine what it went through to decide to "sell its name".
Although the candle had a venomous mouth and was unruly, without it, their territory wouldn't have developed so fast, and they wouldn't have come so far.
"Kando, if you can't speak because of this, I won't ask anymore," Nol suddenly said.
The candle put down its wax tears that covered its eye in surprise.
"Thank you for helping me," Nol earnestly expressed. "Let's continue to work together in the future. I hope you can regain your name soon."
The candle visibly relaxed, its gaze complex, as it looked at Nol for a while. "So it really was just a chat."
"Were you expecting me to exact revenge?"
"Heavens, no!" Kando exclaimed. "It's just that you and your knight are too crude. I was just a little worried…"
Nol: "…"
Nol exhaled a breath, blowing the self-satisfied candle away.
[You're really giving up just like that?] Teest patted his claw.
[Of course not. I don't want to force it—even if it has its own agenda, it has indeed helped us a lot.] Nol gently moved his claw. [Just confirming 'it has dragon blood' and 'its relationship with dragons is bad' is enough. I can investigate through other means, which wouldn't count as Kando breaching the contract.]
Teest sat cross-legged on his claw, eager to hear more.
[Dragons are very rare, and hybrids with other species are even rarer. Human records in this area are indispensable. We just need to verify those missing dragons or hybrids.]
Teest slumped his shoulders. [You make it sound easy, but those are top-secret materials. Even I don't know about them.]
[But someone should know,] Nol said. [As long as the reward is sufficient, I think he'll speak.]
[Wait, wait! You're not going to…] Teest's body stiffened slightly.
[Before meeting the Demon King, we need to be prepared.] Nol's thoughts brimmed with a hint of amusement. [There's a major dungeon in the depths of the Black Forest, and I want to level up with everyone—though it's particularly dangerous. To clear it without injury, we need external help.]
[Like Miss Anakin, Mr. Solo, and that fake siren… including our knowledgeable Mr. Painter. Together with you, that makes a six-person team.]
[…] Teest was stunned for a few seconds by the overly free composition. [Are you sure you want to put these people together?]
[Why not?]
Death Knight Teest, Dracolich Nol, and Saint Painter could provide different types of magical output.
Night Ranger Solo could be a great support. Flawless Annakin focused on healing… As for the High Priest of the Eternal Church, he could be used as bait in dangerous situations.
A perfect team, all with tight lips, so there were no worries about the secrets of Paradise being exposed. The other neighbors just needed to follow behind them, clearing small monsters and gaining experience.
From the perspective of a raid team, this setup was absolutely reasonable!
[Regarding the secrets of the dragons, Mr. Painter definitely knows something.] Nol nodded in satisfaction.
[Dear Lord Nol, you always make me feel very sane.]
[Uh, that means our emotional relationship is positively progressing.]
…Maybe?
...
Bissus, the holy land of the Temple of Life.
"Lord Eugene, there has been no unusual activity near the Black Forest, and Paradise has made no moves so far." An Investigation Knight bowed deeply.
Eugene sat upright in his armchair, listening intently.
His wounds had been thoroughly healed by healing magic. Unfortunately, the injuries had been severe and long-standing, sapping his vitality and preventing him from returning immediately to his peak condition.
"We have reviewed the oracles of the last hundred years, ensuring there are no oversights. However, there has been news from the Eternal Church about a Chosen One—they have dispatched a High Priest, reportedly searching for a missing Chosen One of the Eternal Church."
Another knight stepped forward.
"Which high priest? Are you sure of this information?" Eugene tapped his fingers on the table.
"'Eye of the Storm', my lord. The information is almost certain. That High Priest was spotted by our people. He was in the territory of New Gemino, heading towards Gratice."
The knight bowed. "We couldn't intercept him, so the content of that oracle…"
"Don't worry. That's 'Eye of the Storm'. Even I might not be able to stop him." Eugene sighed softly. "I see. They sent 'Eye of the Storm'. It seems the Eternal Church doesn't dare to offend this Chosen One."
"Could that hero Drake be the Chosen One of the Eternal Church?" The reporting knight choked up.
"I thought he was entangled with Paradise."
The first knight spoke in a low voice. "Paradise promised to handle The Manor issue but never showed up. Something isn't right. Moreover, for Drake to single-handedly destroy the entire Manor is too exaggerated. None of us know what really happened there."
Eugene narrowed his eyes, falling silent for half a minute.
"I remember the Homeward Saints were to liaise with Paradise to confirm The Manor's situation," Eugene said. "As for the Chosen One…"
He glanced at the two knights. "I will handle the matter of the Eternal Church's Chosen One. You two can go rest."
"Yes!" "Yes, my lord!"
The room's door opened and then closed, leaving it in complete silence. Eugene sipped his cold tea with a trace of fatigue on his face.
He exhaled deeply, pulling out a light green communication crystal from his inner pocket. Soft light filtered through the finely carved gem, casting a patch of emerald green on Eugene's face.
"That is the person you specifically showed me…"
"I can feel the conflict of light and shadow in that person. They mix with each other, barely in balance… Perhaps he is standing on the edge of darkness, only a step away from the Eternal Evil God."
Eugene closed his eyes, clutching the crystal tightly.
The muscles on his cheeks moved, as if trying to chew and swallow that piece of darkness.
After a while, he lowered his arms. Knight Eugene clasped his hands together, pressing the communication crystal between his palms, his fingers crossed in a wheat-sheaf-like prayer gesture.
"If there exist Chosen Ones who were selected by God, stood at the pinnacle, but still chose betrayal…"
He murmured.
"Then there must also exist heroes who were initially chosen by evil gods but can still be pulled back into the light… Supreme Lady Tilia, is this also a test you have given me?"
"If you desire him, I will snatch him from the Eternal Son and present him before you."
...
Gratice, Ice Rock City, the holy land of the Eternal Church.
High Priest Fischer, dragging his weary body, returned to his room. For some reason, on his way back to the city, he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to "hop back on one foot" to express his loyalty to his God.
It felt almost like some kind of mind-control magic. Mr. Fischer tried a dozen dispelling spells, none of which worked.
What was he supposed to do upon reaching his destination?
Right, he needed to report the anomalies in The Manor battle, inform the Pope about the Chosen One's situation, and somehow bring the Mad Monk to the Eternal Son…
No! He had to take out the list of Paradise monsters, hand it over to the General of Grape Collar, and then go into seclusion in the Black Forest…
It was as if two versions of himself were arguing. High Priest Fischer stood in the middle of his room, frozen like a statue. For the first time as a fanatic, he had an absurd thought—could he be going mad?
Fischer took several deep breaths and walked to the statue of the Eternal Son. He habitually knelt to pray, only to find that his knees had suddenly lost the ability to bend.
He couldn't kneel down.
Fischer tried hard but still couldn't kneel. The statue in front of him became more and more irritating to look at—an infant holding a sphere. What's so sacred about that?
The person he should follow should have long white hair, brilliant golden eyes, and an extremely wicked smile. That was his master… his god…
As Fischer recalled the appearance of the Chosen One, his knees weakened, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
…Damn it!
"My task is not yet complete. I won't go to see the Pope," he heard himself say to someone outside the door. "I need to make a trip to Grape Collar."
The author has something to say:
Teest: Bad news, I believe in a god with a soft heart.
Teest: Good news, sometimes he's crazier than me.
Nol: Hey, I'm throwing a super cool mix-up of surface forces. Guess who isn't invited?
Eugene: …
Billy: …