Next page password is bold portion: SuHl8-Chicr
Translator: SumTLMan
A ferocious, terrifying, gigantic dragon head was less than two meters away from Angel.
Even though it did not exert any obvious pressure, the close proximity and the unconscious aura it exuded paralyzed Angel. All he could do was watch helplessly as Toby was lifted into the air.
“No…do not disturb him,” Angel managed to enunciate, each word squeezed out with immense effort as he wrestled with his roiling blood and terror-stricken heart.
The Abyssal Wind Dragon, however, seemed to disregard Angel’s plea. Its enormous eyes, the size of bronze bells, studied Toby with a gaze imbued with a complicated medley of emotions: confusion, nostalgia, but predominantly, revulsion.
“It indeed has its aura.” A mental message echoed in Angel’s mind, “It doesn’t seem like its descendant but rather a pocket containing all its emotions. Is it an artificial transformation or transplantation?”
The Abyssal Wind Dragon’s queries left Angel in a stupor.
At first, Angel didn’t comprehend what the dragon meant by “its aura”, but as he pieced together phrases like “emotions in one place,” he slowly began to understand.
Toby was, in fact, a “living food” entity created by Gloria through her Genesis Spell. What made him unique was the ingredients used in its creation — he was concocted using the organs of a legendary creature that Gloria had stumbled upon.
Initially, Angel hadn’t considered nor intended to pry into Toby’s “past life.” However, since their arrival in the Abyss, he noticed that Toby seemed immune to the negative impacts of the Abyss. Instead, it thrived more here than it ever had in the Wizarding World. Angel hypothesized then, could Toby’s past life — that legendary creature — have originated from the Abyss? This was the only explanation for Toby’s unhindered movements in the Abyss.
His previous speculations now received confirmation from the Abyssal Wind Dragon.
Indeed, Toby’s predecessor hailed from the Abyss, and it seemed that the Abyssal Wind Dragon recognized it.
“No, it’s not a post-birth modification. Its birth appears to be quite natural, untouched by external forces.” The Abyssal Wind Dragon mumbled to itself, negating its prior assumptions.
Unable to puzzle out the mystery, the Abyssal Wind Dragon, not typically a contemplative being, shrugged it off. “Nevermind. That old creature was notorious for its craftiness. This is likely a contingency plan or a setup it left behind. Better to leave it be.”
Toby, lifted into mid-air by a gentle breeze, was gently set down once more.
Upon witnessing the unfolding scene, Angel mustered all his strength to combat his oppressed physical form, and stepped forward to catch Toby, taking him into his embrace.
The eyes of the Abyssal Wind Dragon held a certain curiosity and inquisitiveness, “Lowly human, do you know who he is?”
“He is… Toby.” Angel gasped for breath.
“Is he now called Toby? What a bland, uninteresting name.” The Abyssal Wind Dragon spoke with a mocking tone: “Human, do you know his true name?”
“He is Toby, there is no so-called true name.”
Angel’s response seemed to surprise the Abyssal Wind Dragon slightly, but it did not dwell on this subject. Instead, it changed the course of the conversation, “You, a mere human, plan to continue carrying him with you?”
Angel didn’t speak. He just held Toby tighter, his actions clearly stating his choice.
The Abyssal Wind Dragon extended its horrifying wings, lifting its head from the deep pit to gaze towards an unknown distance.
The terrifying aura previously suppressing Angel dissipated. When he looked again, he found that while the dragon’s eyes still held disgust, the palpable malicious intent had vanished.
Had the killing intent also disappeared?
Angel was puzzled, utterly at a loss about what had happened.
At this moment, it seemed as if the Abyssal Wind Dragon’s gaze had pierced through numerous dimensions, peering into a quiet and dark sea that was in constant flux. At the bottom of this sea, a hunched figure was kneeling…
It took quite some time for it to come back to its senses.
“Indeed, I was awakened by wrath, drawn here by the impulse to kill, because of his mischief.”
The mental message from the Abyssal Wind Dragon carried anger, but beneath this anger was a discernible sense of disgust and untraceable apprehension.
As Angel was pondering in confusion, the dragon’s skull once again turned to face him.
“Human, are you sure you still want to carry him with you?”
This was the second time the Abyssal Wind Dragon asked the same question. Angel’s response was a slow but solemn nod.
The Abyssal Wind Dragon gazed deeply at Angel, “Even if all the demons in the Gloaming Mountains were attracted by him, human, do you still plan to carry him?”
All the demons in the Gloaming Mountains were attracted by Toby? Doubt flickered in Angel’s eyes.
Was Toby’s predecessor that formidable?
The Abyssal Wind Dragon seemingly saw through Angel’s thoughts: “This has nothing to do with its identity. It seems you are not aware, it carries the aura of the Harbinger of Doom?”
The aura of the Harbinger of Doom?! Angel was stunned. He didn’t doubt the words of the Abyssal Wind Dragon, for the creature had no reason to deceive him.
If this logic was correct, then everything seemed to fall into place. From the time he rescued Toby, he’d encountered an array of unlucky events. From being pursued by a giant serpent, meeting the troll and Olaf Tentacle Crab, to leaving the Watchtower Fortress and being ambushed over and over, perhaps even the accidents in the interplanar passages were influenced by Toby’s ill fate.
And perhaps Sanders’s loss and banishment in the interplanar passage… were caused by Toby?
“You insignificant and ignorant human, even so, you still want to bring it along?”
During Angel’s stupor, the fearsome intention of the Abyssal Wind Dragon once more infiltrated his mind.
Angel looked at Toby in his arms and, without hesitation, held it close to his chest.
His action made his stance clear. Toby had saved him from death countless times, their bond was a fusion of life and death. Angel could never abandon Toby, and he would never choose to.
“If that’s the case, then you should deal with the consequences.” This time, the Abyssal Wind Dragon didn’t address Angel as an insignificant human but cast an inscrutable look at him, then spread its wings, preparing to leave.
It had no intention of killing Angel.
Or to put it another way, from its perspective, Angel was nothing more than an ant. Much like how humans wouldn’t deliberately stomp on an anthill they encounter on the road, the Abyssal Wind Dragon acted similarly.
The killing intent it held towards Angel previously was simply due to its anger clouding its emotions.
From the fact that it didn’t kill Angel at the beginning, it was clear that it had its doubts from the onset.
It wouldn’t vent its anger on an insignificant ant, it didn’t kill Angel but merely restricted his movement, only because it was searching for the cause of its unusual behavior.
Of course, this could also be viewed as Angel’s ill fortune reaching an extreme point, inadvertently bringing about a twist of fate.
Because the Abyssal Wind Dragon was so powerful that it was on the verge of becoming legendary. Its power was enough to detect anomalies in its own emotions, which was why it was willing to search for the cause.
If this were to be compared to the likes of the fallen demon lord Mangonis encountered by Dongola in the past, it would not have detected the anomaly at all. It would have undoubtedly followed its deepest desires, extinguishing the life of the being it found repugnant.
With the understanding that the aura of the Harbinger of Doom was the root cause of the Abyssal Wind Dragon’s impulsiveness, the dragon found clarity.
Once it knew the truth, it could have arbitrarily decided the fate of Angel, but Angel’s choice led it to abandon its intent to kill.
The choice to exterminate an ant mattered not. However, the ancient being chose that specific ant, which may have had its reasons.
The Abyssal Wind Dragon was unaware that Toby was actually born on a dining table. But the fear of being once dominated by the old one was deeply etched into its psyche, hence it was convinced that Toby was a pawn of the elder one.
Thus, it chose to stand down and remain uninvolved.
…
Angel had assumed he was caught in a deadly situation, even secretly contemplating overturning the table. But to his surprise, the Abyssal Wind Dragon in the end decided not to kill him.
After some thought, Angel came up with a conjecture.
The appearance of the Abyssal Wind Dragon here was likely influenced by “Doom.” It was mysteriously manipulated by emotions, all under the guise of “guidance by fate.” Upon discovering that it had been swayed by the aura of the Harbinger of Doom, it was bound to rebel.
Of course, this was just Angel’s speculation.
Regardless, the ability to survive was a fortunate turn of events.
However——
Angel looked at Toby who was deeply asleep in his pocket, showing no sign of tension and appearing rather content.
Angel didn’t know how Toby came into contact with the aura of the Harbinger of Doom. Perhaps something went awry in the Shadowy Cavern, or maybe Toby had secretly ventured into Downfallen Forest? The truth was already laid bare, and tracing the origins would not alter the current situation.
The issue Angel now had to face was how to ensure both his and Toby’s survival, now tainted with the aura of doom. This was his primary concern at the moment.
In relation to the collective strength of the Abyss, his power could be likened to the gentle glow of a candle amidst an overpowering storm. Not to mention facing the denizens of the Gloaming Mountains, he was incapable of handling even a half-demon, hence, Angel’s situation was perilous. Even if the Abyssal Wind Dragon spared him, he would inevitably become the target of another creature’s hunt.
Demons, by their nature, detest humans. Upon encountering Angel, they wouldn’t contemplate their motivations; they would attack with instinctive animosity.
These thoughts darted across his mind like a flock of startled birds, but in the end, Angel found no satisfactory resolution.
How could he survive in the Abyss?
No one could answer him now. With Sanders’ fate hanging in the balance and Toby in an unconscious state beside him, he was left with the soon-to-take-flight Abyssal Wind Dragon.
A thought flitted across Angel’s mind.
“Esteemed Wind Dragon, is there a way to remove the aura of misfortune from Toby?” Angel inquired, his heart pounding like a rabbit caught in the glow of a predator’s gaze. Initially, he had no intention of further entangling himself with a colossal figure like the Abyssal Wind Dragon, but presently, he was bereft of other options.
If he didn’t ask, being left alone here would be a certain death sentence.
Perhaps by voicing his questions, he might have a slim chance of survival.
Upon hearing Angel’s question, the Abyssal Wind Dragon lowered its head slowly and spoke, “Insignificant human, what gives you the right to question me?”