At the edge of the Sixth Floor, a small hill came abruptly into view.
Compared to before, nourished by the aura of the Platinum Dragon Lord, this place had transformed into something like a mysterious botanical kingdom, giving rise to a variety of unusual plants.
[Dragon Scales Grass]
A peculiar plant whose leaves resemble sharp dragon scales, tightly layered along the stem as if displaying the majesty of a dragon.
A treasure long coveted by alchemists.
[Dragon Eye Flower]
Growing high atop the hill, its blossoms resemble the eyes of a great dragon. The petals shine with a golden hue, while the center is a deep violet.
It emits a captivating fragrance, like the soft whisper of a fairy, making it an excellent ingredient for special potions and unique perfumes.
[Dragon Breath Vine]
Its vines resemble the body of a giant dragon, winding and coiling as they climb the surrounding walls, exuding a faint trace of dragon breath.
Its exceptional toughness makes it suitable for forging, yet it can also be eaten directly.
According to an unnamed maid, Dragon Breath Vine has a meat-like texture, crisp and pleasantly chewy, making it especially popular among those watching their diet.
...
Inside the cave, silence reigned.
Accompanied by the light sound of footsteps, a Dragonoid youth slipped in like a ghost.
His nose and mouth, fragile like porcelain on the verge of cracking, twitched slightly as if catching a scent.
The air was thick with the heavy stench of blood, clinging like an inescapable fog. The youth paused, momentarily stunned.
He looked deeper inside. Black mist coiled around his body, as though some unseen force was pulling him forward, and he unconsciously quickened his pace.
The deeper he went, the stronger the smell of blood became, pressing down on him like a suffocating weight.
Before long, he arrived at an altar.
The moment he saw what lay ahead, his pupils shrank sharply.
An Evil Tree, nearly a hundred meters tall, stood before him.
A dragon, its body mangled and drenched in blood, hung upside down in midair like a slaughter-bound animal.
Six tentacles lined with teeth burrowed through its wounds, writhing as they tore and devoured its flesh with brutal savagery.
Scorching Dragon Blood poured down like a waterfall, pooling into a small lake beneath.
At the very top floated a golden Chalice, from which a liquid brimming with life force dripped continuously.
The dragon's ruined body was constantly being healed, but the effect was minimal.
Wings, tail, limbs...
Any part that could support movement would be ripped apart by the tentacles the instant it began to regrow.
Dragon… food… delicious!
The Evil Tree waved its tentacles, as if celebrating in delight.
Ever since being planted here by Aura, its existence had changed completely.
Compared to before, its branches were now covered in scale-like growths resembling those of a dragon, glimmering with an eerie light.
Its leaves had turned a deep green, etched with fine veins that looked like the flow of dragon blood.
At this moment, it felt pure, instinctive joy, something that rose from its very core, beyond words.
On the other side.
Faced with his situation, the Platinum Dragon Lord stood motionless, like a statue.
He had gone numb.
At first, he felt pain. Then he thought about it. Then he accepted it. And finally, he stopped thinking altogether.
Once thought ceases, so does pain, along with anxiety and distress. What remains is a hollow kind of release.
This was the Platinum Dragon Lord's current state.
Though still alive, he had become nothing more than a walking corpse, left to be manipulated at will.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would likely remain in this state forever.
Yet today, a presence both familiar and unfamiliar entered his senses.
"..."
The Platinum Dragon Lord lifted his hollow eye sockets, as if trying to look toward the cave entrance. But the tentacles wrapped around his neck held him in place like iron chains, leaving him unable to move at all.
He opened his mouth, as though he wanted to say something. But his sharp teeth constantly gnawed at his vocal cords like vicious spirits, making even speech an impossible luxury.
In this state, he looked utterly miserable, like a dying candle flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment.
"..."
"This feeling… damn it…"
The Dragonoid youth's pupils shrank slightly, and his fists clenched on their own. His hands trembled faintly, his knuckles turning pale from the force, stretched tight like a drawn bowstring, as if they might snap at any second.
Guided by an unseen influence, a surge of tangled emotions rose within him.
He had finally found this chance. The one he wanted to kill was right in front of him. Ending it should have been easy.
But…
Why did it feel so infuriating?
Staring at the source of his own bloodline, a heavy Dragon Aura began to surge like raging waves.
Cracks spread across his body like a web, while scales rapidly grew across him. More and more draconic traits emerged.
Thick black mist, like a ferocious beast, completely swallowed him.
[Catastrophe Dragon's Roar!]
The seed rooted within his body flickered faintly. The power of Catastrophe ignited like a lit powder keg and was instantly unleashed.
Catastrophe-infused magic gathered in his mouth like a flood breaking through a dam.
With a thunderous roar, a breath attack erupted like a volcanic explosion, blasting toward the Evil Tree with overwhelming force.
On the other side.
Sensing danger, the Evil Tree immediately discarded its prey like a startled creature. Its six tentacles rose up, forming a shield-like barrier.
Dust filled the air. The mountainside split apart like torn paper. A deafening roar echoed like thunder from the heavens.
A violent shockwave sent it flying. Its body shot back like a cannonball, roots and all, slamming hard into the mountain wall.
"Roar…!"
The searing pain made the Evil Tree let out a furious howl. Enraged by the attack, it retaliated at once.
The ground churned like boiling water. Countless barbed vines shot skyward like arrows released from a bow.
But then, a pair of dragon claws, like they were carved from crystal, thrust out and seized the Evil Tree's tentacles, tearing them apart.
A massive dragon emerged from the dust.
Its body, hundreds of meters tall, loomed like a towering mountain, a breathtaking sight. Dark blue scales, resembling crystal, covered its entire body. Countless cracks across its form continuously released black mist, giving it an eerie, unnatural beauty.
Its pale dragon eyes, like cold stars, fixed on the Evil Tree, burning with fury.
"To finish the battle we left unfinished, this time I will tear you apart!"
The dragon roared, shaking the very air as a terrifying aura surged from its body.
The moment its words fell, before the Evil Tree could react, it vanished and reappeared in front of it in an instant.
[Catastrophe Dragon's Crushing Fist!]
Its claw, wrapped in Catastrophe's power, slammed forward with a violent roar.
"Boom! Boom!"
The air twisted under the force of the sonic blasts, as if space itself were being torn apart.
In an instant, the mountainside exploded, and shattered rock mixed with torn vines scattered everywhere.
The Evil Tree was blasted far away, only stopping when it struck an invisible barrier.
The deafening noise echoed throughout the entire Sixth Floor, like a catastrophic explosion.
Yet strangely, not a single NPC appeared, nor did anyone come to stop the fight.
The dragon let out a low grunt.
Cracks spread rapidly across his body like a web, and crimson blood dripped from his mouth, but he paid it no attention.
He glanced at the Platinum Dragon Lord, who was struggling to rise in the corner, then beat his wings and charged straight toward the Evil Tree again.
Even if he would be punished.
Even if it meant disappointing the father who gave him a second life.
Even if he fully understood the consequences…
At this moment, he, "Niles Bahamut," only wanted to vent the frustration and fury in his heart.
On the other side.
Two figures appeared before the Platinum Dragon Lord.
"You're even more impulsive than I expected. Acting on emotion, quite surprising. But it makes sense. After all, he's just a young dragon who hasn't been born long."
"Platinum, how does it feel? Watching your own offspring fight in anger for your sake. Does it move you?"
The Brightness Dragon Lord spoke calmly.
At the same time, the Vampiric Dragon Lord beside him waved a hand, casting a barrier that sealed off the surroundings and isolated their conversation.
"Vampiric… you used Wild Magic to deliberately stir his emotions."
The Platinum Dragon Lord's voice was hoarse, filled with a level of anger he had never shown before.
"I just added a bit of insurance. I didn't expect it to work this well."
The Vampiric Dragon Lord smiled at the accusation. Then he leisurely walked over, took out a goblet, and casually filled it with Dragon Blood.
As an Undead True Dragon Lord, blood held a powerful attraction for him, and the Platinum Dragon Lord's blood clearly met his standards.
The Dragon Blood, infused with sacred properties, had a sharp, tingling taste and a very distinctive flavor.
"Alright, Platinum Dragon Lord, let's have a proper talk."
Watching the Vampiric Dragon Lord help himself, the Brightness Dragon Lord frowned slightly.
If not for the fact that this one excelled in Wild Magic related to flesh and souls, he would not have brought him along this time.
***
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