Humans have a remarkable talent for courting death, often with great enthusiasm.
Courting death is a process. Until the process is complete, some people never realize they are, in fact, digging their own graves.
With adrenaline spiking and excitement flooding the brain, who has the presence of mind to calmly consider whether their actions are suicidal?
The dragon arrived silently, a feat completely at odds with its colossal size.
Only when its voice boomed did the three disabled wizards realize the folly of their actions.
"Who gave you permission to touch my treasure?"
When the dragon spoke, everyone initially assumed another person had arrived. No one expected a dragon to be the one talking.
Speaking human language so fluently... for a giant dragon, that was truly astonishing.
A simple sentence. If spoken by a human, it might have carried little threat. But coming from the maw of a dragon, the weight was entirely different.
The difference was like heaven and earth. Aura is the manifestation of power.
So, regardless of the dragon's tone, the words struck terror into their hearts.
The gold necklace hanging around one wizard's neck was slowly removed and placed back where it belonged.
Artifacts, gems—everything they had grabbed was returned one by one. Their movements were no longer casual but exceedingly careful.
It was like a burglar caught red-handed by the homeowner. Except this homeowner was terrifyingly powerful, leaving no room for resistance.
No matter how fierce the thief, in front of such an owner, they instantly became obedient children.
The scene was incredibly awkward.
The dragon blinked its large eyes, staring at the three men without making another sound. From its gaze, it seemed satisfied with the thieves' newfound compliance.
However, one of the three reacted differently. Facing the sudden appearance of the dragon, he didn't act like a chastised thief.
The earless old man held very little—just one or two extremely valuable diamonds.
He tossed the diamonds carelessly onto the ground, pushed aside his two frightened companions, and stepped up to the dragon. Pointing his wand at the beast, he said coldly, "No. This treasure is mine."
His voice was icy and self-righteous, carrying a thick layer of threat. He sounded like a victim accusing the thief.
Everyone was stunned. Even the dragon was taken aback by his audacity. Rey and Helena, hiding in the corner, were equally shocked.
This was a man who didn't know the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth, daring to stand toe-to-toe with a dragon. Rey didn't know whether to praise his courage or marvel at his ignorance.
"Don't you want to earn merit and gain your freedom?"
The earless old man growled. His words weren't directed at the dragon but at the two men behind him.
The old man's growl seemed to trigger some terrible memory for the pair. Their faces went pale, and their bodies shuddered involuntarily.
Their expressions twisted as they fought an internal battle.
A second or two later, they finally raised their wands, aiming at the dragon blocking the entrance.
---
Unexpected. Truly unexpected.
These three weren't just crazy; they were suicidal idiots.
What normal person confronts a True Dragon head-on? They were fools among madmen, people willing to throw their lives away for treasure. Truly, men die for wealth.
The two men behind the earless elder had clearly struggled before raising their wands.
Rey couldn't fathom what drove them to do so.
Perhaps it was the old man's mention of "earning merit to restore freedom."
Their freedom must have been restricted by someone, or rather, controlled by an organization. This likely included the three who had attacked Rey and his friends by the Black Lake.
Two groups with equal numbers, identical injuries, matching clothes, and now the old man's words.
This information was enough for Rey to deduce that a shadowy organization stood behind them. The fear this organization instilled was potent enough to make them face a dragon. Even knowing it was a death sentence, they would gamble on that sliver of hope.
Of course, that sliver of hope was merely their own delusion. It wasn't real hope.
In the eyes of Rey, the outsider, these three had absolutely zero chance of winning against the dragon.
Seeing someone dare to resist, the situation flipped quickly. The dragon paused for a moment, then smiled.
A dragon's smile involves pulling back its lips at a wide angle. It gives the distinct impression of amusement.
The resistance before it reminded the dragon of the human who had challenged it a few days ago. That wizard in red robes and a pointy hat, dressed somewhat ridiculously.
That guy had real power. The dragon had expected a fight, but three other wizards suddenly appeared and held him back.
The three men in front of it now couldn't match a single one of those four. The wizarding world hadn't produced wizards of that caliber in a long time, so the dragon hadn't bothered to press the issue. After stating its mission, it let them leave.
Those four hadn't come for treasure or to slay a dragon. They seemed to have other concerns, though the dragon couldn't discern what.
But a dragon's majesty cannot be challenged lightly. Since these ants sought death, there was nothing more to say.
As the three men pointed their wands at it, the dragon moved. And it gave no warning whatsoever.
Whoosh!
Its massive front claw raised and slammed down in an instant.
The movement was swift, clean, and efficient.
The claw descended, and the earless old man standing at the front exploded like a watermelon smashed by a giant bear.
Splat!
Blood sprayed, gold coins flew, and a rain of gore fell through the air.
"Ah...!"
A short scream was cut off abruptly. The two men behind the old man stumbled backward in terror.
Fear took over. Their terrified roars mixed with the echo of the short scream in the cavern.
The dragon's speed was so fast they hadn't even had time to utter an incantation.
The courage sparked by fear vanished instantly. The one-legged man collapsed onto the pile of gold coins as he tried to retreat.
---
Human blood is vivid red when it spills, carrying a nauseating metallic scent.
On the shore, Rey had killed one of the ambushers. But it had been dark, and he was at a distance, so the impact hadn't been visceral.
This was different.
The treasure-filled cave was as bright as day. Seeing a person smashed into paste, all the blood in their body erupting at once...
It was Rey's first time witnessing such a scene. His heart hammered against his ribs, and he nearly shouted out.
Rey managed to stay silent, but Helena, a thirteen-year-old girl, let out a cry.
The moment the "Ah" escaped her lips, Rey reacted, clamping his hand over her mouth. Otherwise, exposure would have been inevitable.
Killing a man was like swatting a large fly for the dragon.
It lifted its right claw, looked disdainfully at the red pulp, and wiped it on the cave wall a few times.
Chunks of flesh fell from its paw, terrifying the remaining survivors into utter silence. They dared not make a sound.
Everyone, including the hidden pair, controlled their breathing to an extremely slow rhythm, terrified that the dragon might get annoyed and turn them into the next pile of meat under its claw.
---