"Lord Black Dragon,"
Purple Dragon swallowed hard, his voice tight with anxiety,
"if we go this far, won't it be obvious?
What if Empress Elizabeth orders a full investigation?"
Another tall shadow licked his lips,the massive blade in his hand gleaming with an eerie chill.
"You're far too timid.
With the Parliament's supreme disguise technique,we can change our faces at will—every few hours, if needed."
"They might trace us back eventually—but it'll take time.
With Dragon Tides striking nonstop,do you really think they have the luxury to hunt us down?"
Purple Dragon fell silent, reluctantly nodding.
It was true.
For this mission, the Parliament had spared no expense—even providing them with what amounted to an "invincible" disguise method.
"Honestly, it's laughable,"the only woman among them sighed, her voice thick with bitterness.
"Our original target was Empress Elizabeth herself.
Now we're reduced to picking off children."
"Losing the Dragonfang Blade…
Yellow Dragon dying so mysteriously…
Even if we succeed today,the Parliament's punishment will be severe."
At her words, the entire group fell into grim silence—their masked faces dark with dread.
To them, the theft of the Dragonfang Bladeand Yellow Dragon's inexplicable death shared one terrifying commonality:
both incidents involved a mysterious figure who had impersonated one of them.
Worse—he knew their secrets.
Not only did he know multiple classified passcodes,but he even knew personal details about Purple Dragon.
Twice, he'd fooled them completely—first stealing the blade, then killing Yellow Dragon.
Because of him, their entire operation had collapsed.
Assassinating the Empress? Forget it.
Without the Dragonfang Blade,even if she and Jörmungandr crippled each other,they stood no chance against her.
Now, they had only three options left:
First—assassinate promising young nobles.
Second—sow chaos during the final battle.
Third—destroy the Hodyr's ammunition depot.
But even if they succeeded in all three,it wouldn't make up for losing the Dragonfang Blade.
"Speaking of which, White Dragon—"
Red Dragon, the woman in black, fixed her gaze on him.
"Are you absolutely sure you didn't notice that 'Purple Dragon' was fake?"
"What? You think I'm colluding with outsiders?"
White Dragon bristled at her tone.
"He knew intimate details about me and Purple Dragon—answered every test question flawlessly.
Could you have told the difference?"
He was still furious about the incident.
He had suspected something—but the impostor had answered everything perfectly.
Only after seeing Yellow Dragon's corpse and sending that "Purple Dragon" to alert their leader did a second Purple Dragon show up.
White Dragon had been stunned.
Upon questioning, he realized—that one was the real Purple Dragon.
The earlier one? A fraud.
But by then, it was far too late.
"Enough bickering. This isn't the time."
Black Dragon cut in, silencing them.
He'd investigated the mystery figure for days—with no results.
The man seemed omniscient—as if he knew everything about them and the Parliament.
But Black Dragon was certain of one thing:this person wasn't strong.
Otherwise, why resort to disguises again and again?
His eyes swept the deck—then locked onto Black.
"Who is this guy?
When I disguised myself as a crewman earlier,he nearly saw through me."
"He followed me for a long stretch—if I hadn't shaken him off, things would've gotten messy."
The others turned their attention to Black as well.
"Lord Black Dragon, that's Black—the pirate who shouted during the White Pearl attackthat he knew where Jörmungandr was."
"He's now Princess Alice's personal guard."
Purple Dragon spoke up.
As the group's intelligence specialist,he'd gathered every scrap of info after infiltrating the fleet.
"Oh? That pirate?
And now he's a royal guard?
This boy is definitely not ordinary."
Black Dragon was genuinely surprised.
The youth looked utterly unremarkable—yet he'd known Jörmungandr's location?
"Hah! Lord Black Dragon,even you can misjudge sometimes!
This kid's spiritual energy is barely Level 10—a weakling! I could crush him with one finger!"
The big man with the greatsword—Azure Dragon—laughed boisterously.
"Hmph, Azure Dragon, don't be so arrogant."
Red Dragon frowned, her crimson lips pursed as she studied Black's back.
"This young man won all three matches at the Su Lan Three Fights.
Someone that exceptional…he's likely the descendant of some hidden master."
She'd been in the crowd during the tournament,watching every moment.
Like everyone else, she'd been stunned—never had she seen such a prodigy.
That young man had left a deep impression on her.
"No matter who he is," Black Dragon said coldly,
"our mission today remains unchanged."
"When the Dragon Tide attacks,we hold back at first.
Wait until they're fully engaged in battle—
then we strike."
"The captain is a Level 65 Warrior—
the strongest on this ship. I'll handle him."
"White Dragon—take out the Level 60 Dragon-Slaying Guard captain."
"Red Dragon—your target is Princess Alice.
With your skill, it'll be effortless."
"Azure Dragon… Indigo Dragon… Purple Dragon…"
"Everyone—today, no one on this ship leaves alive."
Black Dragon's voice was heavy with finality.
"Yes! All for the glory of the great dragon race!"
The five assassins nodded firmly, accepting their orders.
Below, on the deck—in the blink of an eye, the Dragon Tide crashed against the vanguard ship.
Just like before, the Hammerhead Sea Dragons struck first—their massive, flat skulls slamming into the hull!
CRASH!
The ship rocked violently—tables and chairs toppled across the deck.
Several Sea Lion Dragons leapt nimbly aboard,spewing cannonball-sized orbs of searing light from their maws!
Spineback Sea Dragons fired razor-sharp bone spines from underwater—impaling crew members who were a fraction too slow.
Blood and fire engulfed the ship.
"Fire!"
The captain roared.
Cannonballs erupted from the ship's artillery,blasting apart the nearest sea dragons.
The rest of the fighters surged forward to meet the onslaught.
As a ranged unit, even a single Spineback Sea Dragon possessed terrifying firepower.
Alice locked onto it, her movements lightning-fast—her crimson blade flashing as she sliced through several incoming bone spines.
Without hesitation, she leapt toward the ship's railing, seized an iron cannon,aimed at the Spineback lurking in the water,and fired!
Unfortunately, the Spineback wasn't a sitting duck.
Dragons weren't mindless beasts—they understood the destructive power of cannons and had long since learned to counter them.
Instantly, it unleashed dozens of venomous spines,intercepting the cannonball mid-air and shattering it.
"Damn it."
Alice bit her lip.
The Spineback was essentially a mobile artillery platform among sea dragons—its bone spines not only devastatingly powerful but laced with lethal poison.
It had to be eliminated at all costs.
She fired again and again—but every shot was intercepted.
Not a single hit landed.
If she could, Alice would've dived straight into the sea to cut the beast down herself.
"Little Jinzi, go help Her Highness!"
Black commanded his Imperial Wyvern into action.
"Chirp-chirp!"
Little Jinzi, perfectly in sync with Black,knew exactly what to do.
Besides, it had grown quite fond of Alice—after all, she'd treated it to a grand feast before.
With a whoosh, its tiny body shot through the air like a golden bullet,hovering directly above the Spineback Sea Dragon.
The dragon sneered at the "tiny pest" and fired several bone spines at it without a second thought.
But Little Jinzi merely exhaled—a stream of golden dragonfire incinerating the spines to ash.
Then, with utter disdain, it opened its maw—
"ROOOAR!!!"
A thunderous draconic roar shook the battlefield,its overwhelming aura instantly paralyzing the Spineback.
The Spineback was only Level 39—while Little Jinzi, now Level 42,was a superior draconic species.
The hierarchical dragon worked perfectly.
Seizing the opening, Alice fired the cannon repeatedly.
With no bone spines to block the shots,the Spineback was torn apart in seconds—its mangled corpse sinking into the depths.
But eliminating one Spinebackdid little to change the tide of battle.
There were too many sea dragons—as soon as one fell, another surged forward.
The deck was soon swarming with them.
So focused was Alice on the Spinebacks that she failed to notice several Sea Lion Dragons creeping up behind her.
One lunged, its massive fins flapping as it snapped its jaws toward her neck.
[Charge Thrust!]
A glint of cold steel—then the spear struck like a dragon in flight.
Black, ever watchful over Alice,didn't hesitate. He thrust forward without delay.
Amplified by the Overlord Spear,the attack was devastating—piercing straight through the Level 20 Sea Lion Dragon's throat.
Blood gushed; the massive body collapsed.
Alice turned just in time to witness it—
her eyes widening in surprise.
A Level 17 pirate…
using a Knight's basic skill…and killing a Level 20 sea dragon in one strike?
Even with the Overlord Spear's power,this was beyond anything she'd imagined.
"You know Knight skills?"
"Your Highness, we'll talk later—focus on the sea dragons for now!"
Black gave no further explanation,retracting his spear and moving closer to her side.
No sooner had they slain one Sea Lionthan they were surrounded by several more.
"You take the front—I'll handle the rear!"
Back-to-back, they formed an unbreakable stance.
Black's Overlord Spear became a bolt of black lightning—impaling a Sea Lion's tail and hurling the multi-ton beast backward.
Alice's Crimson Soul danced in crimson arcs—decapitating sea dragons with surgical precision.
Above them, Little Jinzi circled low,breathing dragonfire to intercept incoming threats.
A perfect defensive formation.
Yet the sea dragons were endless—frenzied, relentless.
In the chaos, a monstrous Hammerhead Sea Dragon—its skull like a siege ram, Level 45 in power—charged straight at Black with terrifying force.
Black was forced to dodge,separating from Alice and retreating to the edge of the deck.
Seeing its master in danger,
Little Jinzi swooped in front of the Hammerhead,unleashing its full dragon power.
But it was outleveled.
It barely lasted three seconds—before the Hammerhead shook it off and smashed Little Jinzi away with a brutal headbutt.
The young wyvern tumbled through the air,crashing through wooden crates before coming to a dazed stop.
The Hammerhead roared—then launched its ultimate attack: Mighty Headbutt.
Its colossal skull smashed downward—a blow that would pulp any ordinary human into paste.
[Autumn Wind Triple Cut!]
But Black wasn't just a Knight.
Activating his Swordsman-exclusive skill,his body flickered three times in rapid succession—dodging every strike with impossible grace.
CRACK!
The Hammerhead's final lunge overextended—its skull crashing through the deckand becoming firmly stuck in the wooden planks.
Perfect opening!
Black knew he had to go all out.
In an instant, he activated two Knight skills:
[Stalwart Body!]
A radiant defensive aura enveloped him.
[Oath of Valor!]
Golden enchantment flared along the Overlord Spear.
Then, he triggered his Summoner signature ability:
[Summon!]
A Level 40 Sea Lion Dragon materialized—identical to the real ones, but now an ally.
Meanwhile, Little Jinzi shook off its daze,flying back to Black's side with a furious hiss,baring its fangs at the trapped Hammerhead.
As a player, Black knew the Hammerhead's design flaw well:its stats were wildly unbalanced—maxed-out attack power came at the cost of sluggish reaction speed.
The key to defeating it?
Unleash maximum damage while it was charging or immobilized.
"Now—ALL OUT!"
With the Hammerhead stuck fast,
Black unleashed everything:
[Javelin Toss!]
The Overlord Spear hummed as it flew—a black streak aimed straight at the dragon's heart!
CLANG!
The spear pierced the tough scales—not deeply, but enough to carve a bleeding gash!
From above, Little Jinzi unleashed Lightning Flash, Gale Fang, and Dragonfire Breath—all three strikes converging precisely on the wound.
The effect was catastrophic—the Hammerhead's chest scales exploded outward,leaving raw, gushing flesh.
"ROOOAR!"
The pain—especially from Little Jinzi's attacks—sent the beast into convulsions.
With a final heave, it wrenched itself free.
Now unshackled, the Hammerhead roared in berserk fury—ready to charge Black again.
But suddenly, it froze—a sharp pain lanced through its belly.
It looked down—and saw its "ally" Sea Lion Dragonsavagely tearing into its abdomen!
For a split second, Black swore he saw pure confusion in the Hammerhead's eyes.
While the summoned Sea Lion distracted it from below,
Black activated the Knight class's foundational divine skill—
[Skyrending Spear!]
A gale howled as ambient spiritual energy surged violently into the Overlord Spear.
The spear's tip blazed with blinding silver light,the air compressing rapidly into spiraling currents that coiled around the shaft.
Black's feet carved deep grooves into the deck,his entire body taut as a fully drawn bowstring.
"Little Jinzi! Dragon!"
The Imperial Wyvern understood instantly.
It swooped before the Hammerhead Sea Dragon and unleashed a thunderous roar.
The overwhelming draconic aura froze the beast once more—for three critical seconds.
And three seconds was more than enough to send it to hell.
"Die."
The spear shot forth like a bolt of divine judgment.
Silver light tore through the battlefield—the spearhead violently impaling the Hammerhead's chest.
With its scales already shredded by earlier attacks,the Overlord Spear met no resistance—plunging straight through the dragon's heart.
The sounds of shattering scales, rending flesh, and snapping bone erupted simultaneously.
The spear pierced clean through the massive body—then the compressed air around it detonated,ripping a crater-sized wound in the dragon's torso.
The Hammerhead let out a final, agonized wail,staggered backward,smashed through the ship's railing,and collapsed with a thunderous crash.
"Hah…!"
Black yanked the Overlord Spear from the corpse,panting heavily.
That combo had drained more than half his spiritual energy.
After catching his breath,he stared down at the fallen beast.
Sure enough, faint blue motes began seeping from the corpse—coalescing into a miniature Hammerhead Sea Dragon.
Its soul.
Just like before, Black immediately cast [Soulbind Seal].
Arcane runes spiraled from his fingertips like chains,then shot forth with a resonant hum.
The blue soul writhed violently—
but gradually stilled under the binding magic.
Capture Success Rate: 10%
Capture Success Rate: 30%
Capture Success Rate: 50%
Capture Success Rate: 100%!
Hammerhead Sea Dragon successfully captured!
Summonable Unit: Hammerhead Sea Dragon
Racial Stat Total: 450
Level: Lv.19
Skills: Siege Ram, Ironhide Tail Whip, Raging Tide, Earthshaker Slam
Killing the Hammerhead had leveled Black up to Level 19,and the summoned dragon's level was accordingly capped at 19.
Even so, this new ally significantly boosted his combat power.
As the earlier fight had shown,every additional friendly unit meant more enemy distraction—giving Black more time and space to unleash his own attacks.
After recalling the Sea Lion Dragon,
Black quickly assessed the scale of this Dragon Tide.
It wasn't large—barely half the size of yesterday's.
But its assault was ferocious and relentless,pouring out of the sea in a single, overwhelming wave.
The entire fleet was once again locked in brutal combat—just like the day before.
The Hodyr, as expected, was the primary target.
Sea dragons swarmed it in dense clusters.
Pascal and Lucy hovered high above,annihilating dozens of dragons with each strike.
Their vanguard ship fared no better.
Everywhere he looked—sea dragons, blood, corpses.
Not just dragons—humans too.
Some crewmen hadn't reached the shelter cabins in time:some died from venomous spines,others were bitten clean in half by Sea Lion jaws,and a few were flattened into pulp by Hammerhead rams.
Each death was more gruesome than the last.
This grim reality hammered home one truth to Black:
This world wasn't a game.
The captain and Dragon-Slaying Guards were all locked in desperate duels,unable to disengage.
"Though they're tough, we still hold the upper hand.
Victory is only a matter of time."
Alice kicked away a Hammerhead,
then leapt to Black's side.
"Agreed."
Black nodded.
The Dragon Tide was terrifying—but as long as Jörmungandr didn't appear,this was just a minor skirmish.
"Same as before—you take the front, I'll cover the rear."
Once again, they stood back-to-back,with Little Jinzi circling protectively overhead.
Their formation was impenetrable.
Any sea dragon that approached was either repelled or cut down instantly.
But if sea dragons couldn't break through…others might.
Black was deep in the frenzy of battle—when suddenly, through his spiritual link with Little Jinzi,he sensed a violent spike in the wyvern's emotions.
"Chirp-chirp!"
Little Jinzi was warning him—danger from that direction!
Black instinctively glanced over—and in that instant, his blood turned to ice.
Six black-clad figures had appeared out of nowhere.
All wore identical masks, revealing only cold, merciless eyes.
Their weapons varied—but all gleamed with lethal intent.
And their spiritual energy…their levels were terrifyingly high.
In a flash, the six assassins moved—their speed monstrous!
Five of them charged straight at the Dragon-Slaying Guards on deck.
Blades flashed—and several unprepared guards collapsed instantly,their blood staining the wood.
The sixth assassin locked eyes on Alice—and like a phantom, darted toward her unprotected back.
Her target was unmistakable.
The Draconic Parliament?!
The name exploded in Black's mind.
He never imagined they'd strike so brazenly—or deploy their entire squad!
And their goal wasn't just Alice anymore.
This wasn't an assassination.
It was a massacre.
The sudden turn of events stunned Black.
He realized it all now—
from the moment they boarded this vanguard ship,they'd been marked.
The Dragon Tide was the perfect cover.
Originally, they may have only wanted Alice.
But with the chaos of the tide,they'd decided to kill everyone on board—and blame it all on the sea dragons!
"Shit!"
Black's pupils contracted.
The black-clad assassin was already upon them—
a blur of killing intent aimed at Alice's back.
Alice, still battling sea dragons, noticed nothing.
No time to think.
Black activated [Stalwart Body]—a golden aura flaring around him as his defense spiked.
He lunged behind Alice,swinging the Overlord Spear horizontally to block the assassin's path.
"You're courting death!"
The assassin snarled—shocked that Black had reacted in time.
But a mere Level 19 pirate?
She sneered at his audacity.
CLANG!
Her short dagger clashed against the Overlord Spear—a deafening metallic shriek tearing through the air.
A colossal force surged up the spear shaft!
Black's arms went numb—and the Overlord Spear was knocked clean out of his hands,clattering onto the deck.
In that instant, Black grasped a brutal truth.
From the assassin's build, he recognized her immediately—
Red Dragon, the female member of the Draconic Parliament.
Though her level was slightly below Yellow Dragon's,she was still a solid Level 59 Assassin.
Level 19 versus Level 59—the gap between them was an unbridgeable chasm.
He couldn't even slow her down.
A flicker of disdain flashed in Red Dragon's eyes.
Her short dagger didn't hesitate for a second.
She had no qualms about silencing this rising young pirate while she was at it.
The blade, still brimming with killing intent,lanced straight for Black's heart.
[You have entered Flow State.]
At the critical moment, Black successfully triggered Flow State.
But almost immediately, he realized—against absolute power disparity,
Flow State was meaningless.
This wasn't Seth, who'd suppressed his strength to Level 10.
Every move Black made was already predicted by Red Dragon.
Her reflexes outpaced his by miles.
This was pure, utter domination.
The moment Black blinked out of sight,
Red Dragon twisted her wrist—her black dagger already arcing toward his reappearance point,aimed precisely at his heart.
Too late.
For the first time, Black faced true despair.
He couldn't trigger a second blink in time.
All he could do was watch the dagger close in.
At the last possible second—
Little Jinzi shot forward like a golden comet,
slamming its tiny head into the assassin's arm with all its might!
THUD!
Red Dragon's strike was deflected!
But though the blade missed his heart,it still plunged deep into Black's abdomen.
"Ugh!"
Blood erupted from Black's mouth as searing pain engulfed him.
His vision blurred instantly—
consciousness flickering like a dying candle.
Damn… it hurts…
So…
Is this really how I go out?
So… pathetic…
At least… let me make it to the prologue's end…
"BLACK!"
The commotion finally snapped Alice out of her battle trance.
She turned—and froze at the sight of Black, blood gushing from his gut.
Her crimson eyes widened in shock and panic.
Her hands trembled uncontrollably.
This was the first time the composed princess had ever lost her composure.
Born royal, raised in discipline,she'd always mastered calm and restraint.
But seeing Black grievously wounded—her heart clenched like a fist,her breath catching in her throat.
"Annoying hatchling!"
Red Dragon kicked Little Jinzi aside like trash,then hurled Black's limp body to the deck.
She yanked her dagger free and charged at her true target—Alice!
Alice stood dazed, barely raising Crimson Soul in defense.
One strike—and she was sent flying,her sword clattering away,her body crashing hard onto the deck.
"Farewell, Second Princess!"
Red Dragon seized the opening—her dagger erupting with dark energy,ready to deliver the killing blow!
But before she could strike—a massive blade cleaved down toward her from above!
"Tch!"
Frustrated but forced to react,
Red Dragon whipped her dagger up to block.
The full-force strike of a Level 65 Warrior slammed her to her knees, cracking the deck beneath her.
It was the vanguard ship's captain.
His body was already crisscrossed with wounds.
The moment the assassins appeared,his veteran instincts had screamed their intent.
But he'd underestimated their strength.
Black Dragon—their leader—was a Level 70 Assassin,
and their duel had pushed him to the brink.
Only his Warrior's natural tankiness had kept him alive.
And all while fending off sea dragons too!
Yet his priority wasn't himself—it was the princess.
Letting assassins infiltrate his ship was already a grave failure.
If he failed to protect the princess,he'd have no choice but to fall on his sword in atonement.
So he'd taken a brutal slash from Black Dragonjust to break free and shield Alice.
And it worked—he'd interrupted Red Dragon just in time.
"Your Highness, run!"
"The hidden chamber—remember where I told you! Go!"
"We'll hold them here!"
In a flash, Black Dragon reappeared like a shadow clinging to bone.
Now facing both a Level 70 and a Level 59 Assassin,the captain knew he wouldn't last long.
So he activated his ultimate divine skill:
"Iron Bastion!"
Blinding golden light erupted from his body.
Spiritual energy condensed into a solid, shimmering barrier before him—so dense it warped the air.
With a roar, he stomped through the deck,using his own flesh as an anchor,sealing off all paths for Black and Red Dragon.
"You'd throw away your life just to protect a princess?"
Black Dragon scowled—
he hadn't expected such reckless resolve.
A Level 65 Warrior couldn't beat him,especially not with Red Dragon at his side.
But Warriors specialized in defense—and their class naturally countered Assassins.
"Iron Bastion" was a top-tier Warrior skill—its defense so overwhelming that even their combined assault would take precious seconds to break through.
And activating it drained most of a Warrior's spiritual energy,leaving him vulnerable afterward.
That was exactly why Black Dragon sneered.
"Duty unto death—I have no regrets!"
The captain gritted his teeth, voice trembling with resolve.
BOOM!
Black Dragon's dagger struck the barrier—sparks flying like meteors.
The Level 70 strike left only a hairline crack.
Hearing the captain's roar, Alice snapped back to reality.
She wanted desperately to help—but she knew she'd only be a liability.
These assassins were far beyond her.
Right now, saving Black was paramount.
She rushed to his side, slung his arm over her shoulder,and hauled him up.
"Hold on, Black… we're getting out of here!"
Her voice shook violently, her lips pale as snow,as she dragged him toward the ship's interior.
"White Dragon! Indigo! Azure! Purple! Stop the princess!"
Black Dragon barked the order.
If Alice escaped, this entire operation was a waste.
The other assassins surged forward—but the Dragon-Slaying Guards threw themselves in the way.
"Your Highness, go! We'll hold them!"
The Guard captains engaged the assassins in chaotic melee.
In seconds, the entire vanguard ship descended into pandemonium—sea dragons, guards, and assassins all clashing in a storm of blood and steel.
But the tide was turning against the royal fleet.
Outmatched by the assassins and still harried by sea dragons,
their lines began to crumble.
The sea dragons, of course,didn't care about human infighting—they hungered only for flesh.
Same for the assassins.
Soon, bodies littered the deck—human screams and draconic roars merging into a symphony of slaughter.
The ship was drowning in chaos.
On the other side,Alice struggled forward, supporting Black—though they'd evaded the assassins,the sea dragons were relentless.
Without the Dragon-Slaying Guards to hold them back,their numbers swelled by the second.
With Little Jinzi at her side,
Alice fought desperately toward the cabin door.
But just as they neared it—a Green-Ringed Sea Dragon erupted from the surrounding waves,blocking their path.
And it was Level 50!
Alice's face paled.
She knew this breed was exceptionally dangerous—and of all times, it had to appear now.
Its scales shimmered with an eerie teal-green hue,but far more terrifying were the emerald stripes coiling its body.
When those stripes lit up,it meant the dragon was charging an attack—one comparable to a high-tier divine skill.
"ROAR!"
The Green-Ringed Sea Dragon opened its maw,revealing rows of jagged teeth,and spat a glob of foul-smelling, toxic green sludge at them!
"Watch out!"
Black, though weak, summoned every ounce of strengthto shove Alice aside.
She stumbled out of the way just in time.
The sludge struck the wall—and instantly corroded a gaping, smoldering hole through solid steel.
"Your Highness… don't worry about me,"
Black gasped, clutching his bleeding abdomen,forcing himself to stay conscious.
He stared at the massive dragon before them.
He knew—it wasn't attacking them randomly.
If it craved human flesh, there were plenty of corpses nearby.
Why chase them?
Its true target was Little Jinzi.
As a superior draconic species,
Little Jinzi's presence terrified lower-tier sea dragons.
But this Green-Ringed Sea Dragon?
It was higher-leveled—and in its eyes, an upper-tier wyvern like Little Jinziwas nothing but delicious prey.
Consuming it would drastically boost its power—possibly even trigger an evolution.
Such was the nature of dragons:hierarchical, bloodline-obsessed…yet fiercely ambitious.
Imperial records even told of one of the Twelve Dragon Kings—a low-tier dragon who rose to supremacy by devouring countless upper-tier sea dragons.
As the old saying went:
"Must dragon kings be born of noble blood?"
Little Jinzi stood no chance.
But Black would never let it be devoured.
Time was running out—Alice had to escape first.
Little Jinzi stepped forward,unleashing its dragon at the Green-Ringed Sea Dragon.
But this time,it barely worked—the beast stiffened for a split second, then recovered instantly.
It exhaled a blast of corrosive breath—which only left a shallow scratch on Little Jinzi's scales.
Then, with a whip-like motion,its massive tail slammed into the wyvern's chest.
Little Jinzi shrieked in pain,hurled backward,crashing to the deck—scales torn, blood trickling from its mouth,unable to rise.
"No way!"
Alice bit her lip until it bled.
Black had taken a near-fatal wound to save her—how could she possibly abandon him?
The Dragon-Slaying Guards had just sacrificed themselves to buy her time—and that already weighed on her like guilt made flesh.
Was she really so useless as a princess?
No matter the cost—she would get Black to safety.
Her eyes hardened.
From her chest, she pulled out a golden arcane scroll.
Intricate runes coiled across its surface,interlacing into a radiant sun motif at its center.
Black's heart skipped a beat—he recognized it instantly:a high-tier offensive scroll,likely packing Transcendent-class power.
"Your Highness! If that scroll backfires, you'll suffer severe backlash!"
But Alice ignored his warning.
This was her strongest scroll—her ultimate trump card.
She knew its power… and its price.
But she no longer cared.
Biting her fingertip, she smeared blood onto the scroll—then ripped it open.
"Solar Cataclysm!"
Light erupted like a newborn star.
Two colossal rune circles materialized above the Green-Ringed Sea Dragon's head,spinning violently.
The first circle contracted instantly,transforming into twelve golden chains that speared into the dragon's body.
The beast howled—its cannon-resistant scales pierced like paper.
The moment the chains snapped taut,blood erupted from Alice's right arm, tearing through her skin.
The second circle condensed into a massive crimson sun,pulsing with apocalyptic energy.
The overload made blood seep from Alice's ears and nose—yet her trembling, bloodied finger remained steadily pointed at her target.
The crimson sun plummeted.
No explosion. No shockwave.
The Green-Ringed Sea Dragon simply shattered—like a water balloon under unbearable pressure—bursting into a mist of crimson gore.
Green dragon blood rained down like a fine drizzle,drenching Alice and Black in viscous gore.
Thick droplets slid down Alice's crimson hair,trailing over her pale neck.
Only after confirming the dragon's deathdid she collapse to her knees,coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Ignoring her own condition,she dragged Black to his feet and staggered into the ship's interior.
Not a second was wasted—she knew the assassins could appear at any moment.
Following the captain's directions from memory,she half-carried, half-dragged Blackinto a hidden chamber deep in the lower hull.
The location was exquisitely concealed—without the captain's prior warning,she'd never have found it even with divine aid.
The entrance was a thick iron door.
Alice braced her shoulder against it,gritting her teeth as she forced it shut.
Then, fumbling in the dark,she found a hidden switch and pressed it.
A soft white light flared—then seeped into the iron door, vanishing without a trace.
"This is a high-tier concealment spell,"she explained, seeing the worry still etched on Black's pale face.
"Every safe room is equipped with one.
Once activated, it blocks all external perception.
Combined with how hidden this place is…they'll never find us. You can rest easy."
"I see," Black murmured.He'd heard of these safe rooms—every royal vessel had them.
Only the captain and top officers knew their locations.
In case of ship capture, they served as last-resort shelters.
The game had the same mechanic—safe rooms were impossible to detect.
The chamber was small and sealed,but it shut out all chaos and danger from the outside world.
Inside, the setup was minimal:a thin blanket, a wooden crate,and a faintly glowing crystal stone embedded in the wall.
Its light was dim—casting the room in perpetual twilight.
"Ah…!"
Now that silence settled,the pain in Black's abdomen flared tenfold.
Alice immediately helped him lie down on the blanket,her hands gentle despite her own trembling exhaustion.
The moment he lay down, the movement tugged at his abdominal wound—a muffled groan escaped his lips,cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"Don't move. Let me tend to your wound first."
Alice knelt beside him,carefully unfastening his blood-soaked outer tunic.
The fabric had been torn open by the dagger,the dried blood stiff and brittle.
With feather-light fingers,she peeled the cloth away from the wound's edge—gentle as if handling a child's fragile skin.
When the gash—raw, bleeding, horrifyingly deep—was fully exposed,
Alice's hand trembled violently.
Her already reddened eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
Her voice cracked, thick with suppressed emotion:
"How… how could you be hurt this badly?"
"It's fine. At least I'm still breathing."
Black forced a light tone,unaccustomed to seeing Alice so tender—so close to tears.
It reminded him of her favorite Moon Mousse cake:beneath that proud, composed exteriorlay something soft, vulnerable—a molten core that melted at the slightest warmth.
From the wooden crate, Alice retrieved a compact medical kit,filled with emergency supplies.
She uncorked a vial of white coagulant powder—intending to sprinkle a small amount—but her shaking hands spilled far too much.
"Ah—! Your Highness, go easy!"
Black winced, nearly yelping from the sting.
"I'm sorry… I…"
"You're worried about the captain and the Dragon-Slaying Guards, aren't you?"
Black saw right through her.
He spoke softly, trying to soothe her.
"They're strong. Even against those assassins, they can hold their own."
"Besides, sea dragons attack indiscriminately—and those black-clad killers aren't any different."
"Hmph. Even if things go badly here,the Hodyr will notice the chaos soon enough and send reinforcements."
"Mm."
Alice nodded faintly at his words.
But her eyes remained fixed on his wound—the torn flesh, the relentless bleeding—all because he'd shielded her.
Her heart felt clamped in an invisible fist.
Raised with royal discipline and a stubborn sense of duty,Alice feared nothing more than burdening others because of her own weakness.
The guards had risked everything to protect her.
Black had nearly died for her.
Once again, she felt utterly useless.
If it were my elder sister, the First Princess…she'd have handled this far better.
She lifted a clean gauze pad to wipe the blood around his wound—but hesitated, terrified of causing him more pain.
Her fingers trembled.
Seeing her on the verge of tears,
Black gritted through the agony and gently caught her delicate hand in his.
He gave a lopsided grin, voice deliberately light:
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I've got thick skin—
I can take it. Go ahead."
"Back on the pirate ship, once,
I got into a fight over cargo.
Some swordsman sliced me deeper than this."
"Thought I was done for.
Out at sea, no proper medicine—
so our first mate just slapped a handful of sun-dried, rotten fish paste on the wound."
"And guess what?Next morning, I was good as new.
Everyone said I was blessed by the ocean."
"So really—don't be afraid. Just do it."
Alice's face twisted in visible disgust—as if she could already smell the foul stench of rotten fish.
But his last line made her laugh—a soft, unexpected sound that eased the tension in her shoulders.
The warmth of his rough hand steadied her trembling fingers.
She poured a little clean water onto fresh gauzeand began wiping the blood from around his wound—slow, meticulous, tender.
In the dim crystal light,her lashes cast soft shadows over her cheeks,her face flushed with nervous concentration.
All traces of her usual sharp composure had vanished—replaced by a flustered, almost clumsy gentleness that made her strangely endearing.
Once the area was clean,
Alice stared at the deep, bone-near wound,bit her lip hard—then made a decision.
From around her neck, she pulled a golden chain,at the end of which hung a tiny crystal vial.
She uncorked it.
A crisp, earthy fragrance—like rain on fresh soil—filled the chamber.
Inside, a pale golden liquid shimmered,as if it held captured sunlight,radiating a gentle, healing warmth.
It was unmistakably extraordinary.
Recognizing the scent and the luminous hue,
Black's pupils contracted.
Regeneration Elixir.
An SSS-tier legendary potion—so rare in the Cassel Continent that even dukes couldn't buy it.
Forged from high-tier dragon blood, Dragonbloom petals,and dozens of other mythical ingredients,brewed for weeks by a Dragon-tier Alchemist—just one bottle could raise the dead.
As long as a person had a single breath left,this elixir could drag them back from death's door.
What Black didn't know was that this was a gift from Ethan,the Third Round Table Knight and Grand Alchemist Sage,given to Alice on her tenth birthday.
She'd kept it untouched all these years—reserved for her own direst emergency.
But seeing Black's life bleeding out…she'd opened it without hesitation.
When Black realized what she was about to do,he weakly waved his hand.
"Your Highness, that's too precious—keep it.
My wound isn't fatal. At worst, I'll just be bedridden for a year or so—"
But before he could finish,
Alice had already tilted the vial over his wound.
The golden liquid dripped onto his skin—and instantly formed a luminous membrane,sealing the gash.
Then—miraculously—the torn flesh began knitting itself together,closing at a visible, astonishing speed.
Within moments, only a faint pink scar remained.
"Don't overthink it," Alice said quietly,her softness already receding,her usual calm returning like a mask sliding back into place.
"You're my guard… it's just a potion."
Silence settled again—thick, awkward.
Black cleared his dry throat, breaking it.
"Your Highness… those black-clad assassins—they're from the Draconic Parliament."
Now that they'd struck so openly,he had nothing left to hide.
"The Draconic Parliament?!"
Alice's head snapped up,her crimson eyes blazing with shock in the darkness.
"How do you know that?"
She knew of the organization—a shadowy, treasonous sect her mother, the Empress, despised with every fiber of her being.
The Empire hunted them relentlessly.
But she never imagined they'd infiltrate the royal fleet.
"I saw the emblem on their blades."
Black offered a casual excuse.
"That emblem—the interwoven dragon wings—it's the classic sigil of the Draconic Parliament."
Hearing this, Alice naturally believed him.
After all, few in the entire continent dared to assassinate the imperial family.
The Draconic Parliament was one of them.
Her heart sank.
Her crimson lips pressed into a thin line,a shadow of dread darkening her brow.
"If it really is them… this is far worse than I thought."
In Alice's mind, given the Parliament's ruthlessness,
they likely intended to slaughter everyone on this ship.
"The Dragon Tide yesterday was already so fierce—
how could another strike today?"
"Could it be that Jörmungandr is about to break its sealand senses our threat?"
"Or… was it orchestrated by Orex?"
She couldn't make sense of the tides' sudden frequency.
"Maybe."
Black had no answer for her.
He didn't care.
Whatever Jörmungandr was planning,once they entered the Caribbean Sea,he'd fish it out himself—leaving it no time to execute any schemes.
Realizing the discussion led nowhere,they fell into silence once more.
The safe room's walls—made of some unknown soundproof material—blocked out every external noise.
They had no way of knowing the battle's outcome.
A deep sense of helplessness wrapped around them.
Time crawled.
The chamber was cramped—their bodies nearly touching,as close as if they were embracing.
Whenever their eyes met,both instinctively looked away,too flustered to hold the gaze.
Only their ragged breaths and pounding hearts filled the dim space.
The wall-mounted crystal flickered intermittently—plunging the room into brief darkness.
Each time it dimmed,Alice unconsciously clutched Black's sleeve.
So she's afraid of the dark?
Black smiled faintly to himself—
but said nothing.
Then, suddenly,he felt something wrong with his body.
At first, he thought it was just the wound healing.
But soon, his blood began to burn.
An indescribable heat surged from deep within,racing through his veins,making his skin hypersensitive—every brush of fabric sending jolts of strange stimulation.
His breath grew heavy.
His heart hammered like a war drum.
Sweat beaded on his brow—not cold, but scorching hot.
He knew this wasn't normal healing.
"Mm…"
A soft, breathy moan—laced with unnatural, honeyed allure—escaped from beside him.
Black jolted in alarm.
He turned sharply to Alice.
The composed princess was gone.
In her place was a vision of flushed, trembling desire—her cheeks crimson as ripe fruit,her usually clear ruby eyes now hazy with lust,her gaze drifting with a seductive languor he'd never seen before.
Something was very, very wrong.
Black realized—both of them were affected.
But he couldn't quite grasp it—his mind felt foggy, weightless.
Alice's eyes kept flickering over Black's bare upper torso—exposed from his torn tunic.
Her throat bobbed.
Her lips parted.
Her breathing turned ragged.
"Black…"
"Do you… do you feel it too…?"
"So… so hot… so… strange…"
She felt something thrumming inside her—an unbearable emptiness, a desperate craving.
Black, too, felt a primal urge surging through him—his blood pooling hotly in places it shouldn't.
Hearing her voice—so sweet, so wanton—made his pulse spike.
Then it hit him.
He looked down at his arm.
Still stained with dried green dragon blood—now absorbed into his skin.
A forgotten game mechanic exploded in his memory like thunder.
His face went deathly pale.
"Shit…!"
"What's wrong?"
Alice gazed at him with dazed, smoldering eyes,her body swaying closer without control.
"It's the dragon blood—the Green-Ringed Sea Dragon's blood!"
Black's voice cracked with panic.
He remembered now—the game writer's cruel sense of humor.
In the lore, the blood of the Green-Ringed Sea Dragonwas a core ingredient in the infamous aphrodisiac potion:
"One Night of Spring Dreams."
In other words—a potent lust toxin.
Dragons were inherently lustful creatures—and this breed's blood carried extreme aphrodisiac properties.
A small amount caused euphoric excitement.
But fresh, undiluted blood, absorbed directly through the skin?
Its effect was catastrophic.
Even alchemists diluted it heavily when brewing the potion.
And Alice?
She'd been drenched in the stuff.
So had he.
"The dragon blood… it's the key ingredient in 'One Night of Spring Dreams'…"
Black forced the words out,his voice strained as rational thought melted under the inferno of desire.
Alice, though drowning in lust,still recognized that infamous name—and froze in horror.
As a princess, she knew all too well about this potion—popular (and reviled) among nobles.
She'd even written a scathing article condemning it,published in the imperial newspaper,earning her the ire of many aristocrats.
She never imagined she'd be poisoned by it.
Shame and panic flashed in her hazy red eyes.
"This can't be…!"
She fought it—but her body betrayed her,writhing with unbearable need.
Her hands flew to her collar—and ripped it open,exposing smooth, pale skin and delicate collarbones.
Damp strands of hair clung to her flushed cheeks—making her look devastatingly beautiful.
"Your Highness! Alice! Snap out of it!"
Black gritted his teeth,pushing against the tidal wave of lust threatening to shatter his mind.
He grabbed her shoulders, trying to hold her back.
"Use your spiritual energy—suppress it! We'll find a way!"
But Alice had absorbed far more dragon blood than he had.
Her iron will was no match for the toxin flooding her veins.
For a moment, clarity flickered in her eyes—then vanished beneath a fresh wave of desire.
With shocking strength, she slapped his hands away.
"So hot… so hot…"
Her fingers tore at her own clothes—first the outer tunic, then the inner layers.
Soon, in the dim, flickering light,
Alice stood before him in only a thin silk undergarment.
Sweat clung to the fabric,molding it to her body—revealing every curve of her slender waist,the swell of her full, perfect breasts,half-bared and glistening.
Her long legs—smooth as polished jade—led down to delicate ankles,every inch radiating heat, vulnerability, and temptation.
And between them—the shadowed cleft, barely concealed…pulsing with unbearable allure.