"In *Free Life Fantasy* (FLF), Ethan comes to this place during his second semester," Esdeath began, her voice calm but filled with intrigue. "From the second semester onward, students are given tasks to complete as part of their training. Ethan's task was to check the situation inside the Seven Kings' Mountain. For months, there had been no activity from Trynne, so he was sent to investigate. When he arrived, he found this exact scene and uncovered what had happened here."
Maruti tilted her head, her eyes narrowing in thought. "So, you're saying this girl originally belonged to Ethan? Are we about to snatch her from him before he even gets the chance?"
Esdeath shook her head, her gaze shifting to Michael's lifeless body, still kneeling on the ground as if protecting his daughter.
"Of course not. Look at her condition." She pointed to the golden statue-like child in Michael's arms. "Because of Trynne's experiments, this girl is neither fully alive nor truly dead. Right now, she's in a limbo state, but as time passes—one or two months at most—she will completely die."
Maruti frowned, her expression conflicted. "What happens then?"
"In FLF, by the time Ethan arrives, this child is already gone. The divine-grade essence stones embedded in her vanish when she dies. However, because of their overwhelming power, her very body transforms into something incredible—a Rank A essence stone called the "Echo Ability Essence Stone". It's an expenditure-type stone, meaning it can only be used once before disappearing forever."
Maruti's eyes widened. "So Ethan uses this stone in the game?"
"Yes," Esdeath replied, nodding. "In the game, Ethan finds the stone and uses it to copy one of the best abilities available at that moment. What ability he copies depends on the player's choice. But now, in the real world…If Ethan were to obtain it, the ability he copies will depend entirely on him".
Esdeath's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she glanced at the golden statue-like child. "But now that we're here, this girl belongs to us. We're saving a child—what could be more noble than that? It's a good deed, right?" Her tone dripped with mockery, making her intentions painfully obvious.
"Liar!" Maruti huffed, crossing her arms. But as she mulled over Esdeath's words, another thought popped into her head. "Wait a second. I get it—by the time we gather the Demon King's essence, she'll already be dead. But wouldn't that be a complete waste of her potential? Are you planning to make her a human with your blood? Or a barbarian with mine? What's the point of that? What would we even gain?"
Esdeath smirked and slowly walked forward, her boots crunching softly on the debris-laden ground. She stopped in front of Michael's lifeless, kneeling body. Without hesitation, she reached down and grabbed the newborn child from his cold arms. "Both wrong," she said with a playful lilt in her voice. "The right answer is… a dragon. And everyone knows the power that comes with being a dragon."
"A… dragon?" Maruti's jaw dropped in shock. Her mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. "Wait. When did you even get dragon blood?" But as she stared at Esdeath's sly expression, the answer clicked in her mind. "…Kaelith."
Esdeath chuckled softly. "Exactly. When we fought Kaelith, I used my *Pink Lotus Essence Stone to store some of her blood. It was risky, of course. If anyone had noticed, I would've been in serious trouble. But Pink Lotus is such a low-rank stone—neither defensive nor offensive—and it barely uses any mana. No one paid attention to it." Her voice turned cold as she yanked the child free from Michael's stiff arms.
The moment the child was separated, Michael's body, which had been kneeling in silent protection for months, fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Esdeath didn't even glance at him. She held the child tightly, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "Kaelith is a overpowered character, you know. Even when we fought her, she was still strong, despite her seals. She wasn't at full power, sure, but she could've crushed us with little effort. Did you notice how she fainted during the fight? Doesn't it seem strange?"
Maruti frowned, her expression turning serious. "Yeah, I noticed. Although she was injured but She could've kept fighting, but she collapsed on purpose. She let us win. But why? Isn't she supposed to be arrogant and full of pride? Why would she do that?"
Esdeath didn't respond right away, but in truth she don't know either.
The truth was unsettling. When Esdeath, Maruti, and Ethan had fought Kaelith, it was clear she wasn't at her full strength.
The first reason? Lilith. Kaelith's mother, a Rank A powerhouse, had sealed a significant portion of Kaelith's top tier Rank C level powers.
The second reason? The Dragon Heart.
A dragon's heart stores massive amounts of mana. It's a core of their power. Normally, their mana circuits—formed through their veins—determine their ESR talent. Kaelith's heart is what fuels her regeneration, allowing her body to heal rapidly without the need for external magic.
But because competition forbade the use of her mana, Kaelith's regeneration slowed to a crawl. Even then, she had enough strength to wipe the floor including all three of them. But she chose not to.
Esdeath shrugged casually, but for a moment, a flicker of unease crossed her eyes. "Only Kaelith knows why she let herself lose. But does it really matter? She's an overpowered character we can't defeat easily. So, we'll do the next best thing—we'll create another overpowered character to fight for us!" Her voice was full of confidence, but there was a chilling undertone to her words.
With that, Esdeath pulled out her *Pink Lotus Essence Stone* and poured the stolen blood of Kaelith onto the newborn child.
At once, the golden body of the child began to glow brightly, like a miniature sun radiating warmth and power. The brilliance was almost blinding, making Maruti shield her eyes for a moment.
"Predictor, give me the essence stone I told you to refine!" Esdeath ordered sharply.
Without hesitation, Maruti reached into her bag and pulled out a unique-looking essence stone. It was mesmerizing—like a tiny, dark blue solar system captured within a crystal. At its center was a glowing sphere representing the sun, and tiny planets orbited it in intricate, fluid motion, resembling an atom's structure. The stone was small, no larger than a fingertip, but its beauty held a certain power.
"Here," Maruti said, handing it to Esdeath, her fingers trembling slightly.
Esdeath snatched it with practiced ease, her eyes narrowing in focus as she poured her mana into the stone. It shimmered to life, the planets spinning faster as she activated it. "This is a Break–Connection Essence Stone," she explained, her voice steady but full of intent. "It's only Rank D, but it's incredibly useful."
Maruti tilted her head, curious. "What does it do?"
"It severs the blood connection between two related individuals," Esdeath began, her tone calm but tinged with excitement. "And then it rebuilds a new blood connection with someone else. For humans, it's almost useless. But for other species, like beasts or dragons, it's incredibly powerful."
Maruti's eyes widened as realization dawned. "You mean…"
Esdeath nodded, a sly grin spreading across her face. "That's right. This child is about to become a dragon thanks to Kaelith's blood. If we don't use this essence stone, she'll be blood-related to Kaelith. And you know what that means—Kaelith will sense her as kin, even from a distance. That would be a disaster."
Maruti frowned, thinking deeply. "But will the essence stone really work? She's about to transform into a dragon—won't that make her too strong for a Rank D stone?"
"Normally, yes," Esdeath admitted, her voice cool and calculating. "But she's still in her weakest state, caught mid-transformation. This is the perfect moment to use it. And once I sever her connection to Kaelith. "
Well...this was the technique, Slave traders use this stone on newborn beasts to cut them off from their real parents and bond them to their masters. Even after the beasts grow up, they still see that person as their parent. But don't misunderstand—it doesn't make them obedient. That part depends on how well you train them.
Still… wouldn't it be easier to use a Rank A slavery essence stone to control her completely?
Of course it would be easier, but do Those essence stones are way out of their league for now.
Esdeath glared at Maruti, frustration etched across her face. She had no time to argue, but the situation was slipping through her fingers. "Predictor, give me your blood! I'll connect you to her. You'll take care of her until she grows up," Esdeath demanded, urgency clear in her voice.
Maruti's eyes widened in shock. She immediately stepped back, holding her hands up as if to ward off the suggestion. "Me? Hell nah!, Do you want to kill her? I don't have any parenting skills, and I definitely don't want to take care of a kid!" she protested vehemently.
Esdeath's anger flared. "You think I have parenting experience? Do I look like someone who enjoys playing nanny?" she snapped, her voice rising in frustration.
"No means no," Maruti insisted, shaking her head stubbornly. She crossed her arms, standing her ground.
A bead of sweat rolled down Esdeath's temple. She gritted her teeth, her heart pounding as she glanced at the child. Time was slipping away like sand through her fingers. The newborn's transformation was nearing its completion, and once it was over, her power will start to rise.
She had no choice.
She placed the newborn carefully on the ground, her gaze hardening. Without hesitation, she raised her right hand and willed, "Moonblade!" she commanded.
A sharp, crystal-like blade emerged from her palm, shimmering faintly under the dim light. Esdeath grimaced but didn't hesitate.
*Tsk...*
She slashed her own hand, creating a deep cut. Blood flowed freely, dripping onto the child's body in steady rivulets. The crimson liquid spread across the glowing form, and with it, the connection was sealed. The moment her blood made contact, a faint hum of energy filled the air, signaling the completion of the bond.
Breathing heavily, Esdeath clenched her wounded hand, her expression unreadable as she watched the child's transformation continue.