Amon's mind wasn't on the runes. Instead, after savoring the taste of the dragon, he shifted his attention to the other two.
Celestial dragons were innately harmless creatures.
Only after being bonded did they manifest different traits based on their hosts.
Because of this, even while Amon, in the form of his dragon, devoured them, they could only try to run away rather than turn to face him.
Amon's speed was faster than theirs, and using his cat-like agility, he quickly caught up to the second celestial dragon.
With a stretch of his maw, he bit down on the celestial dragon and swiftly consumed it.
A third celestial dragon was devoured, then a fourth. The sensation of gulping them down settled heavily inside him, each one adding a new wave of pressure that pushed at the edges of his mind.
Quietly, time slipped by, and Amon no longer knew how many celestial dragons he had taken in.
Internally he felt bloated, and a strain stemmed from the depths of his being as a single thought echoed over and over in his mind.
'Devour… Devour… Devour.'
The word dug into him, spreading like an instinct that tried to smother everything else.
And so he did, devouring any celestial dragon he could until his thoughts gradually blurred, and he felt his consciousness slip away from the Celestial Realm and return to the real world he was familiar with.
The moment Amon's consciousness returned, his face turned pale, and a sense of pressure and irritation flooded his body.
It wasn't a physical irritation. It throbbed deeper, twisting from the core of his immaterial being, as if something foreign was scraping against his soul.
"Endure it." Light's calm voice resounded in Amon's ears. "It's only a minor side effect that comes with devouring so many celestial dragons. It makes one's soul unpure, and with time the effects will recede until your soul becomes pure once more."
Hearing the explanation, Amon closed his eyes and tried to endure the feeling boiling within him. His breath stuttered for a moment, the irritation crawling along his thoughts like static.
Thankfully, albeit slowly, the sensation was fading away.
It soon faded to a bearable extent where Amon could coordinate his weak thoughts and also regain his manner of speech.
Taking a deep breath, he forced a light exhale.
"Thank you."
"It's a reward for helping my daughter. There's no need for that."
Amon nodded in realisation.
Worried that the others would be curious about what the two were talking about, his eyes shifted toward the group.
His expression froze the next moment, morphing into something close to disbelief.
Jamie still had a casual, relaxed, professional smile as he stared blankly at Light.
Peculiar's expression as she lay on the chair was a mixture of agony and slight excitement as her gaze stayed locked on Amon.
Meanwhile, Harley seemed to be approaching with a tray of steaming buns in her hands.
Her expression was stiff, and her movements were frozen in place.
It was as if time had stopped everywhere except between him and Light.
"Wh what's happening?" Amon turned to Light and asked in slight fear, knowing this mysterious man had to be the cause.
Light let out a sigh.
"Perhaps losing my legs was a good thing."
Amon's face twisted slightly. "Why do you say so?"
"Losing the ability to use my Gift with my legs caused me to feel despair at first. But then I gradually realised something.
"There are no weak Gifts. Only unwise and weak Gifted ones who are unwilling to explore what depths are attainable with their Gifts."
Amon's eyebrows lifted in puzzlement, though the statement hit him with an odd sense of weight. It sounded like something only someone who had touched the mysteries of life would say.
"This is just one aspect of my Gift. Moving fast enough that I can alter the flow of time, although only for a slight duration. It's also what I used to send you into the Celestial Realm. I altered the flow of time within your perception and synced it with a similar time flow within a different realm."
The explanation sounded simple, but Amon could tell it was anything but that. His heart thumped faster at the thought of what mastery like this truly meant.
"You're… strong." Amon exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Yes, I am." Light didn't deny it, leaving Amon speechless.
A silence settled over the two, and noticing there was nothing left to discuss, Light advised cautiously.
"I'll release the flow of time back to normal, so get your act right."
After he finished speaking, Amon quickly adjusted his posture and facial expression, and everyone resumed their movements.
The professional smile still remained on Jamie's face, and so did the excitement and pain in Peculiar's eyes.
Meanwhile, Harley finally reached the duo with the tray of steaming buns.
Amon was impressed that he and Light had just casually conversed, yet none of them had any idea.
'No weak Gifts. Only untalented and weak Gifted ones.'
Amon whispered the words in his racing mind.
Feeling some hunger, he didn't hesitate to stuff his mouth with the buns.
They were delicious, surprisingly.
After eating one, Amon took a few more until he was satisfied.
The gesture made a relieved and proud smile appear on Harley's tired face.
At least her little effort was being praised.
After Amon finished, he and Jamie thanked the couple for their hospitality before leaving.
Amon also gave a sneaky wink at Light, signaling that he would definitely come again if there was a chance he could obtain another reward.
In essence, a trip to the Celestial Realm.
Peculiar also waved Amon goodbye, promising that as soon as she got healed, she would visit him first thing in the morning.
After their farewell, Amon returned home with Jamie.
Since the sky was already getting slightly dark, he knew his parents would definitely be worried.
So seeing both of them standing at the training courtyard, Amon wasn't too surprised.
"Baby, are you hurt anywhere?" Vela cooed gently as she kissed Amon's forehead, then eyes, lips, and everywhere worth kissing.
Amon just resigned himself to his fate of torturous kisses.
After Vela finished checking him and noticing that nothing was wrong, she finally sighed in relief.
"Go and clean up yourself, baby. I'll prepare dinner for you."
Vela shooed Amon away before she raced toward the kitchen with light steps.
Amon just shook his head, then walked back to his room, encountering a few guards along the way.
Entering into his bathtub, Amon felt the steaming warmth engulf his skin.
Then he shifted his attention internally to his Celestial Core.
And without any surprise, the Primordial Dragon had changed drastically.
In short, Amon's Celestial Gift had evolved further.