The [Wraith Storm] swept through, leaving the entire tomb hall as silent as death.
The remaining Myconid Warlords were completely dumbfounded.
Their trump card, the Rank 50 Legendary Spliced Behemoth, was just gone? Instantly killed?
Fear spread among the Fungus People like a plague.
One Fungus Person let out an unintelligible shriek, dropped its alchemical potion, and turned to dive into the passage it had come from. This action seemed to flip a switch, and all the Fungus People scattered in all directions as if they had seen a ghost.
The once-crowded battlefield became empty in an instant.
"Burp~"
Cecilia looked at the mess on the ground and let out a satisfied burp, still wanting more.
"Is it... over?"
The little dragon looked at the empty hall, also feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Caesar ignored her; he was blissfully feeling the warm current surging through his body.
He had gained eight thousand experience points for free, and his Rank had risen to LV.29. This was a massive profit!
And he could collect the alchemical potions on the ground while he was at it!
[Viola.]
Alice's telepathic waves rippled once more.
[It's been ten thousand years, and you truly have'shed your old self'.]
"..."
Viola's massive skull turned toward her, the two clusters of soul fire in its hollow sockets flickering violently.
It remained silent for a long time before letting out a heavy voice that sounded like rocks grinding together.
"...My ally, even a Frost Giant wouldn't tell such a cold joke."
[Is that all you have to say after tens of thousands of years?] Alice's voice was devoid of emotion. [I thought that when we met again, you would be the High Chancellor of the True Dragon Imperial Court, not a skeleton imprisoned in a tomb.]
"Hmph, the Imperial Court..."
Viola's soul fire dimmed for a moment.
"That group of traitorous dragons is not worth my service."
Its voice was filled with deep-seated hatred.
"My only obsession is to take revenge on that Golden Dragon who ordered us to be buried alive. Then, let my Soul, along with those three hundred thousand warriors, find true release."
[Revenge, and then release...]
Alice floated in the air, her pink glass eyes quietly watching it.
[The Imperial Court still exists, and that Golden Dragon... might still be alive. But in your current state, you can't even leave this underground rift.]
Viola fell silent.
It was the truth. Its Soul was forcibly bound to this skeleton by Draconic Magic, and thus bound to the ruins of this 'City of Ten Thousand Races', unable to leave.
After a moment, its massive skull turned toward Caesar and Cecilia.
"You two, come here."
When Cecilia saw that soul fire, she subconsciously tried to hide behind Caesar.
Caesar was quite calm and walked over.
"You have fulfilled the agreement and rescued my old friend," Viola's voice echoed in their minds, seemingly softening a bit. "In return, I will find a way to fulfill your wishes. On the condition that..."
"You destroy a pillar of the Imperial Court, or bring my ashes before the Dragon God Statue."
Caesar's heart stirred.
The quest hadn't been canceled!
But he still shook his head: "We cannot do what you ask right now."
"I know," Viola said. "I can wait. But I no longer want to stay in this cage. I want to go to the outside world, to see what this era has become, and then to find... my enemy."
Alice spoke then.
[Your skeleton cannot leave, but your Soul can.]
She turned to Caesar.
[Little guy, take out that bone spur belonging to Viola that you have on you.]
Caesar was taken aback and subconsciously touched the 'sharp claw' tucked into the gaps of his scales.
This was the reward Viola had given him, and also the key item for his quest.
He hesitated; this thing was a treasure.
[Don't worry, I won't take your things,] Alice saw through his thoughts, [I'm just borrowing it.]
Caesar thought about it and eventually took out the pure white bone spur.
Alice extended a glowing ceramic finger and tapped it lightly.
The 'sharp claw' immediately floated into the air, right in front of Viola's massive skull.
[So, old friend, are you ready?]
"Do it."
Viola's voice actually carried a hint of anticipation and relief.
"Slumber is better than looking at these ruins day after day."
...Finally, it looked at its old friend and the two little dragons:
"I leave it to you."
...Alice said no more.
She pressed her hands together and chanted ancient syllables that Caesar couldn't understand at all.
The entire tomb hall was instantly illuminated by a soft pinkish-purple light, and countless mysterious runes flowed through the air, surrounding Alice and Viola.
In the center of the light, the two clusters of deep blue soul fire in Viola's hollow eye sockets suddenly flickered violently!
Then, those two surging clusters of soul fire were forcibly pulled from the skull by an invisible force!
They converged in the air into a deep blue stream of light, circling once as if they had a life of their own, and then suddenly dove into the floating [sharp claw]!
Hum—!
The white bone spur let out a violent vibration, its entire body ignited by the deep blue soul fire, emitting a heart-palpitating aura of death.
The massive Bone Dragon, having lost its soul fire, seemed to have all its support stripped away in an instant.
The enormous skeleton that had stood for tens of thousands of years made an overburdened "crackling" sound. Starting from the fingertips, it broke inch by inch, then rapidly weathered and decayed... Under the shocked gazes of Caesar and Cecilia, the massive dragon bones collapsed with a roar. It didn't stir up much dust; instead, under the wash of time, it quickly turned into a massive mountain of grayish-white ashes.
A Rank 60 Legendary Bone Dragon had vanished into thin air.
At the same time, the System's notification sounded right on time in Caesar's mind.
[Ding! Your item 'sharp claw' has undergone a mutation!]
[Obtained Portable Item: sharp claw (Viola's soul fire)]
[Item Description: A bone claw sealing the remnant Soul of the Ancient Dragon General Viola. Critical hit rate +1. Can absorb Soul power for strengthening. When enough energy is accumulated, Viola's remnant Soul can be awakened to fight for you. Current state: Slumbering (0/10000).]
Caesar looked at the bone spur quietly burning with deep blue soul fire. It slowly drifted down and was caught by his Shadow Claw.
It felt warm to the touch, and its previous sharpness was gone.
The corner of Caesar's mouth twitched involuntarily.
—Why does this feel like the 'old man in a ring' trope?
As expected of an old antique who has lived for tens of thousands of years, discarding his body just like that... Does he trust me that much...?
While Caesar was complaining in his heart, he also felt a strange sense of emptiness.
Destroy a pillar of the Imperial Court, or bring your ashes before the Dragon God Statue... "Old Bone, you've really given me a difficult problem."