"Not what we imagined?" The white-haired headmaster was still puzzled. He couldn't comprehend what this dragon, who had endured the Philosopher's Stone's damage, meant. But that didn't stop him from raising his guard against the creature.
If the most destructive creation of the supernatural alchemy system couldn't harm this dragon, then the most powerful weapon from the technological side might be worth a try. He doubted the dragon could withstand the damage from a nuclear blast.
"Forget it. Explaining would be too troublesome, and your understanding ends here."
Lightning crackled amidst the flames. From within the blaze emerged a sleek, perfectly proportioned black dragon. Its form radiated power while maintaining an unparalleled elegance.
Its golden eyes, glowing with lightning and fire, gazed down at the humans below, indifferent and devoid of any emotion—much like how a human might look at a cluster of ants.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In an instant, a storm of spell-infused bullets rained upon the black dragon, attempting to blast it to smithereens.
Yet no matter the caliber of the bullets or how intricate the inscriptions of the spell engravings on them, they all met the same fate. Each was stopped by the dragon's protective web of lightning, falling to the ground with a crisp sound.
The already chaotic library was left in even greater disarray. Once peace returned, the black dragon sat unscathed amidst the ruins, the lightning web around its body shimmering with blinding brilliance.
In the next moment, a surge of lightning and fire exploded outward, like a dam releasing its waters. The brilliant flashes of lightning and scorching flames engulfed the library. When the storm of destruction finally subsided, the once-cramped library had been transformed into a vast, open space.
On the scorched ground lay twisted, charred suits of armor, glowing faintly red and emitting wisps of smoke. Besides the remnants of melted armor, only ashes remained.
"These people..." On the opposite side of the black dragon, a black-haired youth, Lu Tianming, lowered his hand that had been shielding his eyes from the blinding light. Witnessing the horrifying scene, he fell to the ground in shock, his face pale as a sheet.
"Humans must pay the price for their actions, must they not?" The black dragon spoke calmly, its voice devoid of emotion. "When they attacked me, they should have been prepared to face retaliation."
"So that's why I'm still alive?" The white-haired headmaster, unharmed like Lu Tianming, looked grimly at the massive creature before him.
"Indeed. You should consider yourself lucky you didn't act impulsively like your students did."
The black dragon extended a claw, gently swiping forward. A tall, golden-haired young man, whose physique was as perfect as a sculpture, was swept up by a gust of wind and landed in the dragon's grasp.
"Another one."
"I knew it—I shouldn't have taken on this mission," the young man muttered, resignation in his voice as he gazed at the imposing dragon. Turning his head, he looked at the bewildered Lu Tianming nearby, who seemed unsure of what to do.
"But why start with me? He's the one who caused you the most harm."
"From the moment you began your investigation, I've been observing your every move. Do you really think I didn't see how you handed that bullet to this boy and convinced him to fire at me?"
"Headmaster, did you hear that? Whatever we do, it's all under his watch. What's the point of trying anymore?" The young man, held in the dragon's claw, chuckled nonchalantly and glanced at the white-haired headmaster.
"I heard." The elder lifted his head and gazed up at Muria. "So, are you planning to destroy this academy, which was founded to slay dragons?"
"Not interested." Muria lowered his head, his golden eyes fixed on the dragon-blooded youth in his grasp. "However, I am interested in the alien creatures you mentioned."
"You're interested in them?" Caesar's face showed surprise, but he quickly nodded. "That makes sense. As a dragon, it's natural for you to be more intrigued by those creatures than humans are."
"Tell me in detail, and I might consider sparing your life." Muria leaned down, scorching sparks from his breath igniting Caesar's golden hair.
"Wait, move back a little!" Caesar quickly extinguished the flames on his hair, clearly distressed. "Ask whatever you want, and I'll tell you."
"Then tell me, what exactly are these alien creatures?"
"What else? They're beings that couldn't possibly have originated in our world's ecosystem yet possess extraordinary powers, much like dragons."
In Caesar's understanding, any creature wielding extraordinary powers must have some connection to dragons. Yet the alien creatures he had dealt with showed no trace of dragon blood whatsoever.
"So, the alien creatures you're dealing with are extraordinary beings from other worlds, correct?"
"Exactly. Recently, for reasons unknown, large numbers of these creatures have been appearing randomly across the world without any warning, causing us no end of trouble."
"Have there been similar incidents in the past?"
"According to my family's records, yes, but never as frequent as in recent times. I don't know what's causing it."
"I see." Muria nodded thoughtfully. The world these humans perceived was vastly different from the reality he saw. For them, their world was everything; for him, it was just a fragment of a greater whole.
"Take me to the most recent location where one of these creatures appeared."
"Fine, but no more destruction or killing."
"I've already said, I am not a dragon who delights in destruction or slaughter."
Muria glanced at the headmaster and the trembling Lu Tianming. Spreading his massive wings, his enormous form shattered the library's ceiling, bursting into the open sky.
"Ah, so this is what it feels like to fly." In the dragon's grasp, Caesar looked down at the shrinking earth beneath him, his eyes alight with excitement at the novel experience.
"No, this is what it feels like to be abducted by a dragon. If I let go, you'd experience a rapid descent into death."
"But wouldn't you lose your best guide? No one in this world knows more about these creatures than I do," Caesar replied confidently.
"Enough chatter. Just guide me."
…
"So, this is the place?"
A childlike form, created by Muria in his human guise, stood before a shattered and chaotic street, his golden eyes scanning the area. Beside him stood Caesar, his hair partially singed, looking a bit disheveled.
"That's right. Over a month ago, a group of four-to-five-meter-tall giant apes appeared in the least likely place. It took significant effort and resources to subdue them."
"As I thought." Muria's eyes glimmered with light, reflecting a scene completely different from what lay before him. He extended his hand forward, pressing lightly.
To Caesar, the air seemed empty. But from the black dragon-formed child's outstretched hand, ripples began to spread. A vast, primal forest emerged, filling the air with the fresh scent of ancient woods.
"What is this?" Caesar, who prided himself on his knowledge, stared at the surreal scene with astonishment. "A mirage? But why does it have a scent?"
"You already know the answer. Why bother testing me?"
"It really is another world?" Caesar's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Thinking of going in?" Muria asked, observing the dragon-blooded youth.
"If it truly is another world, I want to see it." Born into the pinnacle of human privilege, Caesar had grown bored of everything, even slaying dragons. The chance to explore a new world was irresistible.
"If you're determined, remember: once you step through this door, there's no coming back."
Without waiting for a reply, Muria stepped through the portal into the vast cluster-world's other region.
"Ah!"
A scream rang out as Caesar, who had followed, plummeted from the sky.
"He actually followed? What a thrill-seeker." Muria observed the falling youth but made no move to intervene. The height wasn't enough to kill him.
"Fate is undecided; the future is yours to shape." Muria transformed into a ten-meter-long black dragon and flew off in a random direction.
Before long, he heard the sound of tides and caught the scent of the sea. A vast blue ocean stretched before him—and amidst its waves floated an unconscious golden giant.
"A castaway?" The black dragon glided down toward the peculiar figure in the water.
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