Vol. 5 Ch. 49

If Isha’s favorite pastime was watching her sisters argue until they fumed with frustration, then Claudia, the Sea Dragon King, had her own peculiar hobby—keeping tabs on Leon’s habits and preferences, only to appear out of nowhere at his most unguarded moments.

This time, however, her timing was as impeccable as Leon’s penchant for showing up right at the climax of a situation.

As the saying goes, "Birds of a feather flock together."

Claudia stood on a rock above Leon, her long blue hair swaying gently in the breeze. Her posture was upright, her hands crossed in front of her chest, and her elegant tail hung loosely behind her. Her smile carried a knowing look, as though she were saying:

I see you’ve been taking more than your fair share from me, and here I thought you didn’t realize it.

Leon scratched his head awkwardly, offering a sheepish grin.

“We’re all family here. Why make a fuss about who owes whom?”

“Family? Then give me that six-winged pet of yours.”

The dragonhawk:

??

“Absolutely not. This is my indispensable means of getting around your territory. Besides, it’s not a pet.”

“Oh? Then what is it?”

“A champion of justice,” Leon replied with mock seriousness.

Claudia couldn’t help but laugh. She shook her head and decided not to banter further, knowing all too well that Leon could go on forever with his nonsense.

“So, what are you here to take from me this time?”

Leon’s expression turned serious as he addressed her.

“Let me be honest, Senior. Recently, I finally encountered Shadow.”

Leon had spoken to Claudia about Shadow before, explaining his relentless pursuit. Claudia had been sympathetic and promised to help whenever he needed it.

Now, however, was the first time Leon had sought her help specifically regarding Shadow.

Inside the Sea Dragon Sanctuary, Leon recounted his experience in Flaming Valley. By the time he finished, Claudia and her fellow elders were visibly shocked.

“You’re telling us that Empress Elizabeth used the knowledge she gained from Shadow to resurrect the ancient and dangerous Flame Demon?”

Leon nodded. “That’s right. But it wasn’t just resurrection. Elizabeth exploited Flaming Valley’s unique properties to make the Flame Demon nearly immortal. I barely managed to escape with my life.”

He continued, “If Shadow can revive a dangerous entity as powerful as the Flame Demon, I fear he might also be capable of reviving even stronger threats.”

One of the elders, an experienced war veteran named Paladin, furrowed his brow in thought.

“The closer we get to the truth, the more perilous this battle becomes. A truly uphill fight.”

Paladin had spent years on the frontlines, honing an almost uncanny sense for impending conflicts. His assessment was always on point.

“When facing an opponent like Shadow, the more cards they reveal, the more we must account for. ‘A tough fight’ is putting it mildly.”

Claudia nodded. “But defeating the Flame Demon proves this wasn’t your greatest challenge yet. What else happened to bring you here for help?”

Leon clenched his fists, his voice heavy.

“Shadow said something… something about me being an obstacle to the return of the

Great Being

. That I must die for it to be revived.”

This statement caused a stir among the elders.

“What

Great Being

? Why would I be a hindrance to its return? I can’t connect myself to anything that significant. That’s why I’ve come to you, Senior, hoping you might have some clue, some record, or even just a rumor that could point me in the right direction.”

Claudia frowned as she mulled over his words.

“A Great Being returning…”

“Do you have any leads, Senior?” Leon pressed.

After a moment of reflection, Claudia replied,

“For the Dragon Clan, the only entities that could be considered ‘Great’ are the Dragon God Tiamat and the Primordial Dragon King, Noah.”

Although there were divisions within the Dragon Clan, their reverence for the Dragon God was universal.

Tiamat, the ancestor of dragons, symbolized both strength and divinity. Even after tens of thousands of years, Tiamat’s legacy remained untouchable.

Meanwhile, the Primordial Dragon King Noah was a legendary figure who had single-handedly ended a catastrophic civil war among dragons in ancient times.

Little was known about Noah’s origins or how they gained such immense, divine power. It was as if Noah had been sent by the gods to save the dragons, only to vanish after restoring peace.

For centuries, Noah’s whereabouts had remained a mystery until a few years ago, when Konstantin uncovered ruins in the far north. There, he stumbled upon remnants of Noah’s legend, sparking renewed interest in the enigmatic figure.

Claudia shook her head lightly.

“As a dragon, I don’t believe Shadow could have the power to revive Tiamat. That’s beyond the realm of possibility. To put it in perspective, reviving Tiamat would be like shattering the entire Samail continent with a single strike.”

Her analysis was interrupted by Charlotte, her junior sister and Leon’s former mentor, who tugged at Claudia’s sleeve timidly.

“What is it?” Claudia asked.

“Um… Sister, your example might not be the best choice. While reviving the Dragon God is certainly implausible, Leon is—”

Claudia flicked Charlotte’s forehead lightly.

“Don’t undermine your disciple, Charlotte.”

Charlotte rubbed her forehead, pouting slightly as she glanced at Leon. She offered him a sheepish smile, which Leon returned with an understanding chuckle.

Leon turned back to Claudia.

“Senior, I understand your point. But if Shadow’s ‘Great Being’ isn’t Tiamat, could it be Noah?”

Claudia bit her lip, considering the possibility. After a moment, she shook her head again.

“I’m not sure. Records about Noah are scarce. Despite their status, there’s hardly any concrete information about them in our history.”

She paused before adding her own theory.

“In fact, I don’t think Shadow’s ‘Great Being’ is either Tiamat or Noah.”

Leon raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“Because of what Shadow said: ‘You, Leon, are the greatest obstacle to its return.’ Neither the Dragon God nor the Primordial Dragon King have any direct connection to you. That’s why I think Shadow’s ‘Great Being’ might be something entirely different.”

She continued,

“It could be something from within the Dragon Clan’s history, hidden in the cracks of time. A being so obscure that its records are even more fragmented than Noah’s.”

Claudia sighed.

“Unfortunately, history isn’t my strong suit. I’m sorry, Leon. I don’t have the answers you’re looking for.”

Leon exhaled deeply but managed a small smile. “That’s alright, Senior. You’ve already helped a lot by sharing this much.”

“But…”

Leon’s ears perked up at the word.

“But what, Senior?”

“While I may not have the answers, I know someone who might.”

“Who?”

“The Twilight Tower Master in Sky City.”