Outside the Secret Realm, in the Holy Tree Palace Square.
When Scorching Wings let out a final, mournful cry and collapsed, a dead silence fell over the scene.
The spectators, who had been holding their breath while watching the battle, could finally contain themselves no longer.
"The Legendary Demon Dragon... is dead?"
"Looks like it."
"But isn’t that a Legend? A Legendary Dragon Species should be able to crush anyone below the Legend Tier with ease, right?!"
"Why was that hyb—... the Fourth Princess able to just overwhelm it to death like that?!"
"It must be because Scorching Wings’s Status was poor. It had just killed the Solren Sword Saint and used [Dragon Break]."
"There was nothing it could do. The Dragon Thunder is just too tyrannical, especially against the Dragon Race. It’s a fatal counter. But even so... this is a bit too exaggerated."
The scene of Scorching Wings being slain was so utterly shocking that the uproar it triggered after a mont of silence was just as intense.
Even though they had long realized that Westheid’s ultimate plan was a fight to the death with the Legendary Demon Dragon, almost everyone had dismissed it as a fanciful notion—an impossible attempt to break through one’s limits.
To slay a Legend while being below that Tier—and a suprely perfect Legendary Dragon Species at that! It was sothing they had never even heard of, let alone witnessed with their own eyes!
"That hybrid... actually did it? She actually killed a Legendary Demon Dragon?!"
Yaligong’s eyes looked ready to burst from their sockets. He gripped the armrests of his chair, trying several tis to stand, only to sink back down, his hands falling limply to his sides.
Even if His Imperial Highness Prince had ntally prepared himself to accept that Reiya’s team would take first place, there was a world of difference between rely winning the Trial and achieving a Great Enterprise within it!
Most of the spectators had complicated feelings about Reiya’s achievent. Had anyone else accomplished such a feat, the entire square would have already erupted in thunderous applause. But it just had to be Reiya...
The Dragon-blooded Hybrid everyone despised, the enemy who had a major falling out with them all before the Trial.
As a result, despite the shocking victory of slaying a Legendary Demon Dragon, there was no tsunami of cheers in the square. Instead, it was replaced by a cacophony of whispers.
Regardless of how the outside world saw it, inside the Secret Realm, Westheid’s affection and admiration for Reiya had reached an unparalleled peak.
’Excellent! Just excellent! *This* is the Withered and Flourishing Dragon Emperor!’
’The very image of the Powerhouse I so admire!’
Westheid didn’t hesitate for a second. The mont he confird Scorching Wings had fallen, he scrambled toward Reiya.
After piercing the Giant Dragon’s skull with the [Sunlight Spear] and slaying Scorching Wings, Reiya stood motionless, as if frozen in ti. Her head was slightly bowed, her vacant eyes staring at the pool of blood on the ground.
"Reiya!"
Only when Westheid’s voice reached her did a flicker of light return to the silver-haired girl’s eyes. She lifted her head and looked at Westheid running toward her.
Then, she stumbled down from Scorching Wings’s corpse and walked toward the black-haired, purple-eyed Duke Qinghui.
As he got closer, Westheid finally understood why Reiya could barely move.
Westheid found it difficult to find a single word to accurately describe Reiya’s injuries.
After thinking it over, only "torn to shreds" seed to fit.
One of her arms was gone. Only shimring golden Holy Tree Divine Power and a few fragnts of brittle, shell-like skin remained. The rest—blood, muscle, bone—had vanished completely, leaving an empty void, as if she were made of paper.
Most of her chest and abdon, her neck, and a small part of her face had suffered the sa fate.
In order to squeeze out the power needed to kill Scorching Wings, the Silver-haired Dragon Lady had ravaged her own body without restraint. A single glance was enough to horrify Westheid.
’Holy crap, even Strong Fragnts are showing up!’
"West..."
Reiya ca to a stop before Westheid and took a deep breath. Her magnificent Cang Tong held both deep exhaustion and elation.
"I did it."
"Yes, you did an amazing job. Much better than I ever imagined."
Westheid soothed the silver-haired girl, taking her outstretched hand. Its cold touch was completely different from usual... Her Life Force was irreversibly draining away.
Reiya looked up, gazing at Westheid.
"I... am finally worthy."
Although part of the Silver-haired Princess’s face had disintegrated into Strong Fragnts, her astonishing beauty largely remained. Enhanced by her draconic aura, it was even more ethereal and aesthetic. The girl’s cherry lips parted as she murmured:
"Worthy enough to claim my reward from you."
’A reward? What reward was she talking about...?’
Westheid had a vague mory of it, but before he could recall the details, Reiya shot forward. She wrapped her one remaining arm around Duke Qinghui’s neck and threw herself at him.
Her lips captured Westheid’s.
The Silver-haired Dragon Lady’s cherry lips were cold and soft. After the bloody battle, the strong scent of blood mingled with her own faint, sweet fragrance, creating a peculiar aroma.
"Mmph! Mmmph..."
After a mont of shock, Westheid imdiately understood what she was doing.
The last ti, he had tried to kiss Reiya, but she had refused him. Now... it seed Reiya believed she had finally earned the right to demand a kiss.
Westheid gently stroked the girl’s back, returning her passionate kiss.
Reiya was incredibly aggressive, attacking with wild abandon. Despite being a complete novice, she was giving Westheid, a seasoned veteran, a run for his money.
All passion, no technique.
[The web of love you have woven has borne fruit.]
[You have shared Reiya Gleamleaf’s Talent: [Dragon Soul Furnace].]
[Dragon Soul Furnace]
[The ultimate manifestation of a True Dragon Soul. The so-called Dragon is the embodint of greed and ego. All things in the world should be offered to ; the entire universe shall sing my na.]
[Go forth and slaughter! Go forth and conquer! Display the will of the Dragon! The flesh and souls of the vanquished will serve as kindling for an eternal fla.]
[You have gained the authority to control Dragon Thunder; you have gained the authority to plunder the vanquished.]
As Reiya’s kiss deepened, a notification of the successful share from [Heart and Soul’s Gift] appeared on Westheid’s retina.
The two peak Tier T0 Talents of the Withered and Flourishing Dragon Emperor were finally in Westheid’s grasp, far sooner than he had anticipated.
However, Westheid didn’t seem very happy at that mont. More than the joy of his gains, he was concerned about Reiya’s Status.
The silver-haired girl’s clumsy, greedy kiss continued until they were nearly breathless, and only then did she pull away, as if wanting more.
Reiya brushed her fingers across Westheid’s cheek and murmured:
"This... is the reward I claid."
As she finished speaking, as if having expended all her strength, Reiya’s entire body went limp. Westheid quickly caught her, kneeling upon the warm, dying embers.
The Silver-haired Dragon Lady lay quietly in Westheid’s arms. Her magnificent Cang Tong could no longer open, and she spoke in a voice as faint as a thread:
"West... I finally have a future, right?"
Westheid held Reiya tighter, his voice firm. "Of course. You absolutely will! Without a doubt!"
The silver-haired girl in his arms let out a soft breath, turning her head to rest her cheek against Westheid’s chest. She whispered:
"Then... for a lifeti... let’s be together for a lifeti..."
"..."
’Wait, this suddenly got really heavy!’
’Forever? Is that sothing you can just say so easily?’
Westheid found it a little difficult to answer.
Just as Westheid was trying to figure out how to respond tactfully, Reiya’s exquisite head drooped lifelessly, her last breath escaping.
She had burned out.
"You really... gave it your all."
Gazing at the Silver-haired Dragon Lady’s body as the signs of life faded, Westheid gave a small smile and reached out to smooth the strands of hair by Reiya’s cheek.
The girl’s face still held a contented smile, as if she had drifted into a deep sleep.
"Thank you."
Even though Reiya had done this primarily for herself, it was undeniable that she had also been fighting for Westheid. That was enough to warrant his sincere thanks.
On the scorched and shattered battlefield, the handso, black-haired, purple-eyed young man held the tattered Silver-haired Dragon Lady in his arms. A farewell of life and death, tiless and silent.
As poignant and beautiful as a painting.
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