"Come, speak up!"
Chu Yan wiped the wounds on his body and approached Connice.
Using a portable gemstone spell, Connice attempted to heal his wounds, but the pain lingered, leaving him isolated and alone.
The forbidden one of the Sea of Death lay dead, while the formidable steward had yet to fully unleash his power and was swiftly beheaded by Janet in the turmoil.
Connice lay on the ground, retreating in disarray, his once elegant hair now in disarray.
Faced with the gaze of the forbidden one and the dragon descendant lord, he stumbled backward, only to be obstructed by the ice barrier he had conjured.
This was a barrier magic generated through a medium; Connice could only manipulate its activation, and as long as the energy of the barrier remained, it would endure.
The oppression, helplessness, and the frenzied aura emitted by the Sea of Death monsters shattered this noble dragon descendant's composure.
Fear spread across his expression.
Chu Yan chuckled, sighing, "The pampered young master of the Black Ice Dragon lineage now lacks the ability to speak. At least beg for mercy, will you?"
It was unfortunate; Chu Yan was indeed curious as to why this fellow would go to such lengths to associate with Old Piga, laboring tirelessly to stand up for him in the Sea of Death.
Yet now, Chu Yan's impatience to witness this man's demise only grew.
A blazing dragon flame spear slowly materialized in Chu Yan's hand. To honor his dragon kin, he took a sip of a potion.
The flame spear blazed more fiercely, its temperature causing the nearby ice barrier to show signs of melting.
This life-and-death crisis triggered Connice's protective artifact—
His magic crystal ring glowed, and Janet, possessing the most knowledge, swiftly struck the crystal with a jab, disrupting most of the magical formations, though some still activated.
A woman's frantic voice echoed:
"Connice! Loboton, what has happened to my son? Where are you now?"
The steward Loboton was already dead, his corpse unable to respond to his mistress's query.
Upon hearing his mother's voice, Connice's fearful visage transformed into one of surprise; he regained his ability to speak, stammering in haste:
"Don't kill me... or the Black Ice Dragon descendant will not spare you... Whatever treasures or wealth you desire, my family can provide!"
Connice's desperate words made the woman aware of the dire situation; her hard-won son was in peril, being coerced by someone!
"Listen well, I don't care who you are. If you harm the Black Ice Dragon descendant, be prepared to be hunted endlessly. Every one of your family and friends will be implicated!
If you merely desire wealth, I can promise that to you—release my son!"
Though the one pleading was clearly at a disadvantage, her tone was fiercer than that of the one making threats.
However, Connice's mother was not merely resorting to intimidation; given the challenges of dragon descendants reproducing, every offspring was extraordinarily precious.
Should one's offspring be slain, the vengeance unleashed would be synonymous with an eternal grudge.
Bang—
A crisp sound erupted as the magic crystal was utterly annihilated by Chu Yan, severing the Black Ice Dragon descendant's "communication."
Rationality informed Chu Yan that this foreign dragon descendant could not be killed, as it would lead to troublesome repercussions.
Yet, his emotions reminded him that had Janet and the others arrived just a little later, he and Shanaoya might have perished under the onslaught of elite monsters and the Black Ice Dragon descendant.
An endless cycle of revenge?
As the saying goes, a powerful dragon finds it difficult to suppress a local serpent; yet, Chu Yan was indeed a dragon himself, and now a local serpent of the Sea of Death.
Even if Connice's mother came, it would be of no consequence!
Gazing at Connice, he met the young man's astonished eyes, shrugging innocently:
"You are correct, but this is the border of the Sea of Death. It appears rather ordinary for a dragon descendant to perish at the hands of monsters, does it not?"
Pffft!
The fiery spear pierced through Connice's icy scales, penetrating his heart.
Connice coughed up a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at his chest, his shattered heart rapidly siphoning away his life.
He was a dragon descendant, born with a golden key, revered everywhere he went, a noble scion within the prominent Black Ice lineage!
...to die in such a place?
"...This is undoubtedly a nightmare... I cannot be this wretched!"
As his life force dwindled, Connice could not accept his fate until the very end.
...
On the other side, in Black Ice City.
The main building of a private castle shattered under a barrage of ice, the booming collapse shocking the townsfolk.
A stunningly beautiful dragon descendant woman ascended into the sky, unleashing her pent-up rage into the air.
The firmament seemed poised to freeze under the weight of her formidable magical power!
"Who is it! Who did this?!"
The woman unleashed advanced magic, her voice a fierce roar filled with fury.
The once-bustling Black Ice City fell silent in that moment.
A hush descended, as the citizens feared to invoke her wrath.
Another prominent elderly figure soared into the sky, solemnly addressing her, "Afarine, what madness has overtaken you! Calm yourself!"
"My son Connice is dead! He was murdered! How can I remain calm?!"
"What?!"
The elderly dragon descendant's countenance darkened in shock, an unnamed fury igniting within him.
The reproduction of dragon descendants was already fraught with challenges, and now someone dared to slay the offspring of the Black Ice lineage!
...
Connice possessed many valuable possessions, yet they could not be touched.
It was difficult to ascertain whether any of those treasures bore tracking marks from his parents; thus, no greed could be entertained for such wealth.
Those accustomed to killing understand that while murder may be easy, disposing of the corpse is far more arduous.
Yet, the Sea of Death was an exception; toss a body into the void of the sea, and any magical trace would vanish without a trace.
The siren, under the onslaught of Omega and the other formidable women, was reduced to a puddle of void sea water, save for the large magical core that remained, telling the tale of her recent existence.
Chu Yan hoisted Shanaoya on his back, while Janet cradled Connice's lifeless body. The group prepared to dispose of the corpse before returning to rest and patiently awaiting the end of the Blood Moon.
As they reached the seaside, ethereal bubbles began to float around them.
These bubbles, refracting the light of the Blood Moon, flickered with fleeting images and even emitted unfamiliar voices.
"What are these things?" Janet questioned in astonishment.
"These bubbles seem to be gradually converging towards us," Omega remarked steadily, suddenly turning to find Shanaoya asleep on Chu Yan's back!
Earlier, Chu Yan had gone door to door warning everyone not to sleep or dream when the Blood Moon appeared.
She pondered aloud, "Could this be the so-called 'contagious dream'?"
Chu Yan had come to the same realization. Acting decisively, he addressed the two:
"Janet, Omega, you should return to the castle and urge the others not to sleep. I will stay here to observe."
Janet was reluctant to leave Chu Yan and the unconscious Shanaoya behind, but there was no other choice.
The previous lord's notes had nearly all been validated, suggesting that matters concerning dreams could be particularly troublesome and should not be taken lightly!
Having two forbidden ones remain here would only increase complications.
Exchanging glances, Janet and Omega departed first.
As Chu Yan sought to evade the encroaching bubbles, an idea struck him—
He hurled Connice's corpse into one of the bubbles. His body passed through the bubble and fell into the sea, carried away by the endless void.
However, a spectral semblance of Connice appeared, ensnared within the bubble.
The bubble began to reveal Connice's memories, replaying the most profound nightmares of his soul.
*
That was a memory from his childhood, when Connice, imbued with the power of a dragon descendant, held an inflated sense of superiority.
After he had killed the most basic of monsters, a rabbit, he felt unsatisfied and ordered his servants to summon monsters from the exile lands for a challenge.
That challenge ended in utter defeat; Connice, confronted by the beasts from the "high-risk" regions, was rendered incapable of casting magic, his mind blank with terror.
He was paralyzed by the overwhelming presence of those creatures.
This was his shame, an indelible humiliation.
Even after gaining strength post that experience, Connice remained unable to confront the monsters from the exile lands, the shadows of childhood continuously looming over him.
This was a stain on his pride that could not be erased.
He became an utter coward, incapable of facing powerful monsters despite his prestigious lineage and stellar academic achievements in magic.
An incidental visit to the slave market led him to discover injured women.
The aura of the monsters from the exile lands was indelible; especially with those women lacking magical enhancements, even after healing, the scars retained a unique scent.
Thus, Connice developed a preference for these lowly women.
With them, he felt exhilarated, as though he had vanquished powerful monsters, no longer fearing the terrifying presence that had once haunted him!
In his mind, he triumphed over his monstrous foes!
Because of the disreputable nature of his actions, Connice felt compelled to eliminate them after a single encounter, ensuring no loose ends, lest whispers of his deeds tarnish his reputation.
Subsequently, Connice became entangled with a baronial family on the border of the Sea of Death.
Regular visits there for respite, indulging in the pleasure of subduing the monsters' auras, became a fixed aspect of Connice's annual plans.
*
"To end your life so easily is truly a stroke of luck for you."
Chu Yan sighed, wishing he could retrieve Connice's corpse, revive him, and allow this man to witness his misdeeds laid bare for all to see.
...Perhaps there would be an opportunity to expose this matter later; for now, he needed to consider Shanaoya's condition.
The knight appeared to be in a deep sleep, showing no signs of waking even when Chu Yan's hand inadvertently grazed her soft form.
"Shanaoya, are you trapped in your own nightmare? What is your nightmare?"