Listening to Arthur's words, the black dragon's expression remained unchanged. She stared coldly at him, a wide grin stretching across her massive jaws.
"Hehehe... last words, huh? In all my life, I never imagined a human would ask me such a question. Fate truly is fascinating, isn't it?" Her voice was calm and indifferent.
Blood dripped from her large mouth, and her wounds seemed to deepen with every word she spoke.
Arthur lowered his staff, gazing at the massive black dragon whose body was riddled with fatal wounds.
"Your defeat wasn't decided by fate, but by your own arrogance, Black Dragon Empress. It was your pride and disdain for mankind that led you to this state," he said with a faint, mocking smile.
Dragons were a race of immense pride. That arrogance was ingrained in their very bones and souls.
Well, that wasn't surprising. After all, they were the strongest race—it was only natural for them to be that way.
However, excessive arrogance had its price, and the Black Dragon Empress standing before him was the perfect example.
Arthur's remark made the black dragon freeze for a moment before she finally snorted coldly.
"So what if I'm arrogant and proud? We dragons are powerful—we have every right to look down on other races, including you humans. Before us, you're nothing more than ants, easily crushed beneath our feet." The black dragon spoke in a dismissive tone.
Arthur smirked slightly, releasing his grip on his magic staff and crossing his arms over his chest.
"Well then, care to explain why you lost to me?" He asked, his voice laced with amusement.
The black dragon's expression stiffened. She fell silent, unable to find an answer.
As much as she hated to admit it, she had been utterly defeated by the young human before her.
The loss was so overwhelming that a deep sense of shame gnawed at her.
Even so, her pride and arrogance as a dragon refused to let her acknowledge it.
She shot Arthur a cold glare and tried to straighten her massive body, but the sharp pain immediately sent violent tremors through her.
"My defeat... wasn't because I was weak... but because I was careless," she said, her voice trembling.
Arthur rolled his eyes, irritated by her stubbornness. Yet, he wasn't done. He wanted to break the Black Dragon Empress's confidence before the end.
That way, he could unleash his hatred and vengeance upon her for tormenting mankind for a thousand years.
With a sly smile, he spoke in a sharp, mocking tone, "Hehehe… You keep making excuses for your weakness and defeat, Black Dragon Empress. No wonder your entire race has grown weaker over time."
The black dragon's large eyes widened slightly at his words. She shot him a piercing glare and asked coldly, "What do you mean?"
Arthur didn't respond right away. He stayed silent, keeping his smile, which only made the black dragon feel more uneasy.
After a brief pause, he took a small breath and finally spoke. "Haven't you noticed? Your dragon race has been weakening over the past thousand years."
Before she could respond, Arthur continued, "A thousand years ago, you, along with the three Dragon Emperors and the White Dragon Empress, always had the upper hand against humanity. No matter the scale of the battle, victory was always yours."
"However, things began to change five hundred years ago. Many talented mages from humanity emerged, some even reaching the Sage realm. Their rise shifted the balance of the war between our races… Surely, you must have noticed that, right?"
Arthur's words hit the black dragon like a bucket of cold water. She had certainly noticed the shift in the war's dynamics due to the rise of humanity's powerful mages.
The mage ranks were divided into eight levels: Apprentice, Junior Mage, Intermediate Mage, Senior Mage, Great Mage, Archmage, Sage or Divine Mage, and the legendary Sovereign Lord Mage.
The Sages were humanity's main defense against the dragon race, and their power was immense. It was because of them that the dragon race had lost many battles over the past five hundred years.
Subconsciously, the dragon's once-proud and arrogant gaze slowly faded, replaced by a complex and troubled expression.
Noticing her agitation, Arthur knew he had succeeded in shaking her confidence. But he wasn't finished—he had one last blow to deliver.
"Do you know the true reason behind humanity's advancement?" Arthur asked with a casual smile. "It's because of the pressure you, the dragon race, placed on us."
"For the first five hundred years, we were cornered and oppressed by you. But that's exactly what drove us to rise. The pressure forced us to study your weaknesses, strengthen ourselves, and continuously improve until we were finally able to stand on equal footing with you."
"Meanwhile, you dragons? You haven't improved at all in the past thousand years. You're drowning in your pride, and it's making you stagnant—even weak."
"I'm absolutely certain that in the next five hundred years—no, that's too long. In just the next hundred years, many new talents will rise to the Sage realm or even surpass it, reaching the Sovereign Lord realm, just like me."
"When that time comes... Do you truly believe the dragon race will still survive in this world?"
Badump...
The black dragon's heart raced, and her massive body trembled slightly.
Arthur's words struck with brutal clarity, making her shudder at the thought of such a future. She wanted to deny it, but the words refused to leave her lips.
Her mind was so clouded that she nearly forgot about the immediate danger she faced.
"I may have said too much. Now, I'll kill you, and humanity will rise in the future," Arthur said coldly.
He gripped his Magic Staff, and a powerful surge of mana exploded from his body.
"Wait a minute!" The black dragon's voice suddenly rang out, startling Arthur.
"Oh? Are you begging for your life? Hehehe... Sorry, but that won't happen," Arthur replied with a playful smile.
"No, that's not it," the black dragon said, shaking her head slightly.
Buzz!
The dragon's massive form suddenly erupted in a blinding purple light, catching Arthur's attention immediately.
Moments later, the light began to fade, revealing an extraordinarily beautiful woman in her place.
She had long black hair, with a black scale-shaped hairpin on the right side. She wore a loose black gown with lace detailing around the collar.
Though the gown appeared loose, her huge chest and full hips were difficult to conceal.
Her tired, cold red eyes radiated a mysterious charm. However, her beauty was marred by the numerous wounds across her limbs, including her stomach, arms, and chest.
Arthur was briefly captivated but quickly regained his composure, not letting his guard down for a second.
The woman regarded him with a complex expression and spoke in a cold yet mesmerizing voice, "Earlier, you mentioned a last wish before my death, right? I have one."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, studying her carefully. "Tell me."
He had given his word, and he would honor it.
The woman was silent for a moment before slowly raising her index finger toward him. "I want you."
Arthur was taken aback by her words. Before he could react, her two red eyes blazed brightly, and suddenly, he found his body frozen in place!
Whoosh!
The woman floated toward him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck before pressing her lips to his!
"Ummm!" Arthur's eyes widened as he tried to pull away, but he couldn't!
After two minutes, the woman finally broke the kiss, gazing at him with cold, indifferent eyes.
"In the thousands of years I've lived, you're the only one who's managed to shatter my confidence and arrogance and defeat me. I'll remember this grudge and repay it a thousand times over, until you regret ever crossing me, Arthur Crown! Don't ever expect to live in peace after this, hehehe…"
The woman's smile was faint, but it carried an eerie, unsettling vibe.
Whoosh!
A purple glow radiated from her body before breaking into shimmering beads of light that flew into the sky.
Arthur, still stunned, remained frozen for a few moments.
He rubbed his lips, still feeling the lingering warmth, and muttered in a daze, "What was that? My first kiss... just disappeared?"