NABC Chapter 337 You're not thinking of refusing, are you?
Chapter 337 You're not thinking of refusing, are you?
"It's decided! From now on, I'm the evil dragon Nana! Awooo~"
Nana seemed quite pleased with the name she had come up with, excitedly baring her teeth and brandishing her claws, but Qiong was completely unfazed by being frightened by the evil dragon Nana—her childish howls would only make humans who love small pets hug her tightly and rub her against them, and would never inspire fear in her.
More than Nana's name, Sora is now concerned about something else: if his guess is correct, does that mean that Nana can actually transform into a human form?
"Nana".
Qiong looked at the excited little dragon and watched her ask a serious question.
"By the way, can you transform into a human? You're a girl, right? Can you transform into a beautiful girl?"
【? ? ? ? 】
"A human girl? A beautiful girl?"
Nana flapped her wings in mid-air, scratched her head with her little paws, and looked very confused in her golden eyes.
"Nana doesn't know, how do you transform? Sora, do you know how?"
He's not a dragon descendant, how would he know? Should he ask his azure dragon friend?
"Never mind, that's not important."
Qiong looked at the bewildered Nana and temporarily put the matter of turning the dragon into a human out of her mind. Compared to these trivial matters, finding Song Que was the most important thing. She had already passed the third trial, so she could be considered to have cleared the level, right?
With a try-it-out mentality, Qiong asked the little dragon, which could talk from birth, a question.
"Nana, do you know where Nahera lives—"
"Oh, Nana remembers!"
Suddenly, Nana spun twice in the air and then flew to Qiong's side.
"Qiong, go to the place with lots of sparkling stones! If you go there and pass all three 'Immortal' trials, you can sign a contract like those thirty-two people and gain immortal life! That is, the eternal life that humans love most!"
Upon hearing the word "immortality," Qiong instinctively thought of a city in ruins, and a chill ran down his spine. But he was still very concerned about those thirty-two people: thirty-two people? The victors of the previous thirty-two Ten Arts Wars?
Although she didn't know how the dragon that had just hatched from the egg knew that people had come from outside, Qiong believed Nana's words without a doubt: what bad intentions could a young dragon, who was like a child, have?
"Nana, who were those thirty-two people? Did they participate in the trial like me? Where did they end up?"
Nana tilted her head and shook it.
"Nana isn't too sure. I used to only be able to see them through the eggshells; I couldn't see anything too far away... But I know they all passed the 'Immortal' Trial! They all seem to be very powerful. Don't worry, Qiong is Nana's first friend, and Nana will definitely help you pass all the trials!"
Qiong: ...
Putting aside the fact that he seems to have completed all the levels, due to physiological reasons, the little dragon Nana's facial expressions are far less rich than those of humans. However, from her impassioned words, Qiong can be sure of one thing: she is a naive and silly little dragon who was born but already possessed intelligence and perception while still in the egg, and has not hatched for many years.
It's still running around in one egg! Doesn't it worry its family? After hatching, it tells everyone it sees, without any sense of caution! Although it has the intelligence of a human child, its social experience is zero... What if it's a greedy sparrow or some other vicious villain? This adorable little dragon would be caught and sold for money or turned into roasted dragon meat!
Never mind, let me just give you a heads-up.
"Nana, it's better to be careful when you're a dragon. Don't get kidnapped by bad people. Otherwise, you'll be sold out and still be counting the money for them... Be careful of bad guys!"
"Bad guys? They'll kidnap Nana?"
Nana blinked her golden eyes, and Qiong nodded. Seeing Qiong nod, Nana also nodded as if she understood.
"So, Qiong, are you a bad person?"
"Of course not!"
"Hehe, Nana believes you."
Nana flew to Qiong's shoulder and nuzzled him affectionately. Qiong couldn't help but laugh and cry: Nana is still too naive; bad people don't admit they're bad.
"Alright, let's go find your mother first."
"But Nana doesn't have a mother or a father."
Qiong: ? ? ?
Come forward, visitor from another planet...
Just as Qiong was surprised that Nana had no parents, that annoying voice rang out again. This time, the voice seemed to come from all directions, but because it was Nahera's voice, it made Qiong feel inexplicably irritated.
"Nana, let's go take a look."
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Moonlight spills onto the stone floor tiles, which are engraved with murals even older than the civilization of the planet Luo. After passing through the murals, a small door leads to a series of steps. Beyond the steps lies the deepest part of the "Immortal" Trial Grounds, the tomb of the Immortal Star Dragon—a place isolated from Mars, where time stands still, forever.
However, the tomb, which should have been quiet and desolate, was now filled with the hearty laughter of a middle-aged man.
"Ha...hahaha! Nahera, I won, I won! He won't follow our old path! You should take back your power now, shouldn't you?"
Donning a black robe, Lithost was laughing maniacally at the dragon who had saved his life.
Lithost, it's not over yet...
Nahra's voice carried a hint of resentment. Lithost continued to laugh triumphantly.
“It’s all settled, Nahera. I told you, he wouldn’t accept Hinadia staying, but you ultimately forced him to make the choice… He’s passed all the trials, and now it’s time to fulfill our promise. I should rest too; I won’t attend the new knight’s initiation ceremony—”
Do you think he'll accept becoming Little Leiera's knight? He won't.
Nahra’s voice was full of certainty, and Lithost’s smile faltered.
"What do you mean? His kindness wouldn't allow him to..."
But he was a traveler, a pioneer… As a fellow traveler, I believe… the time has come, he has arrived.
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"Qiong, is this the place?"
Trust my gut feeling.
Following the guide, a constantly glowing stone ruin appeared before the man and the dragon. The walls of the ruin were covered with runes and murals that even Qiong, with his synesthetic beacon, couldn't decipher. The further they went, the more Qiong felt that he had come to the right place.
"Wow, what's that!"
Finally, they arrived at a huge plaza, in the center of which floated a scale radiating golden light (Qiong had reason to suspect it was a dragon scale). Nana, who had never been here before, excitedly flew around the dragon scale, curiously looking at everything around her.
Welcome, pioneer! You have passed all the trials...
Within the golden light of the dragon scales, a blurry black figure gradually became clear.
"It's you, Nahra?"
Your soul has been weighed on the scales of immortality; wisdom, courage, and faith combined have surpassed the weight of a single dragon scale…
Nahera's voice was ethereal and melodious, but Qiong had absolutely no desire to listen to her continue.
"Enough with the talk, where is the sparrow?"
[Thus, the blessing of the dragon scales will imbue you with eternity. O son of man, I permit you to step forward and sign the covenant of "immortality" with me...]
"Never mind that. I'm asking you, where is the sparrow?"
……
Behind the curtain of shadows, Lithost's knuckles were white from gripping his black robe so tightly. Even though he no longer needed to breathe, years of habit still made his breathing rapid. His gaze was fixed on the dome in the center of the square and the dragon scale life contract flying before Nahera...
If Qiong simply nodded, accepting the eternal life Nahera offered and becoming a knight, then the huge weight hanging over his heart would finally be lifted. He could then sleep peacefully forever…
But what's wrong with this kid? Couldn't he have gotten immortality first before going after that pine bird?!
"Nahera, listen to me..."
……
Nahera's face was as black as could be. Lithost, Lithost, are you in such a hurry?
But as a good dragon with a sense of contract, Nahera will still do as she is asked.
【Songque...】
Qiong sensed a hint of helplessness in Nahera's voice.
She is within the tower. I am willing to help you find her and absolve you of divine punishment. However, if you do not accept the covenant of "immortality," I will not let you leave.
"Are you trying to force me to buy or sell?!"
Qiong Ren was startled and took three steps back. He didn't want to accept this so-called immortality so easily just to find Song Que... As everyone knows, there are no free lunches in the sky, only traps.
The last person to ask him to sign a "contract" was Kiana Kaslana, the Goddess of Earth, who forced him to sign even though he refused... No, that's not right! Shouldn't he owe her a contract in order to "escape" from the train?
Never mind all that, what do I do now? Judging from what just happened, Nahera is most likely on Lithost's side. It seems these guys are probably trying to push me into a fire pit, which I absolutely cannot jump into—but how do I refuse? What if this dark-skinned lady goes berserk and uses Kiana to force herself on me, signing me up and then engraving a stigma on me?
He wasn't confident he could easily defeat the dragonborn who was suspected of being "immortal"... What if the opponent had combat power at the level of Danheng? Wouldn't he be in big trouble?
Just in case, let's call for Kiana...
"Qiong, don't you want eternal life? Why?"
Just as Qiong was pondering a solution, Nana suddenly flew in front of him and nuzzled his cheek.
"Um... to be honest, I don't want to right now."
Hearing what Qiong said, Nana nodded, though she didn't understand. Her simple values told her that she should help Qiong.
"Okay, Nana will help you! Nahera, get out of the way, hey!"
With that, Little Dragon Nana charged towards Nahera, attempting to change the situation with her strength, but...
"Ouch!"
Nahera's illusory body suddenly unleashed a shockwave, sending Nana flying.
"Nana!"
Qiong hurriedly caught Nana, but fortunately, she wasn't moving too fast, otherwise Qiong wouldn't have been able to catch her either.
"Qiong, Nana did her best..."
Although she wasn't hurt, Nana's golden eyes turned into golden mosquito coil eyes—after all, she was just a little dragon who hadn't been born long, and currently had nothing but courage and the wisdom she was born with.
"Are you kidding me...?"
Qiong picked up Nana and pulled out his Flame Spear—if Nahera were to use force, he would probably only be able to put up a little resistance and then shout, "Wife, save me!"
Do you really want to refuse the blessing of immortality? To refuse the eternal life that countless people dream of?
Nahra's voice sounded somewhat surprised; something neither she nor Lithost had expected had happened.
Lithost believes that Qiong will let Sinadia leave Lakada and accept immortality to become a God Knight; while Nahera argues that Qiong will let Sinadia stay in Lakada, accept immortality, and refuse the position of God Shadow Knight before leaving after helping little Leiera through her difficulties... But they have one thing in common: Qiong will accept the Dragon Scale Life Pact and become an immortal—once an immortal, to achieve immortality, one must stay on Luo Star (or rather, stay in a place with Dragon Scales). So how can Qiong escape in the future? Won't he still obtain Luo Star in a hundred years?
Previously, when Qiong was uncooperative, Lithost and Nahera both thought it was just her personal style, that her strong rebellious psychology in her dreams was at play, and therefore she refused to participate in the trials related to immortality... But now, immortality is within her grasp, within her grasp! Why doesn't she have any thoughts about it?
Think carefully. If you don't sign the contract, you will lose this opportunity to gain immortal power.
Qiong, holding the Flame Spear and carrying Nana, slowly retreated towards the plaza entrance—just in case something went berserk, so he could get away with Long immediately.
"Immortal? What immortality? I don't know."
You clearly know, you even know my own kind... Sorry, just a moment.
Nahra remained silent for a moment, then immediately spoke privately with Lithost, and they quickly reached an agreement: the child was probably terrified by Lakada, whom he saw in the third trial, and believed that immortality would bring calamity...
But can that be the same? Their Luo Xing is not Lakada. Here there is a true god, there is Leiera! As long as Leiera forgets about Sinadia and gets back on the right track, the Shadow Monster will become the best helper for the Luo Xing humans, and the entire Luo Xing civilization will never fall into the state of Lakada. As long as this is explained to Qiong, he probably won't refuse, right?
[Let me reintroduce this place: This is the Trial Grounds of "Immortality," a haven for souls rejected by the gods... Except for you, pioneer. The other thirty-two souls have all attained immortality here, coexisting with the tower...]
"Nahera, don't say things that could be misunderstood!"
Lithost grew increasingly anxious. The dragon, who rarely spoke a word, was completely devoid of art: a haven for souls rejected by the gods? Thirty-two souls? Qiong would soon deduce the answer.
He's just an abstract character, not stupid! According to Nahera's recollections, this gray-haired guy isn't just a simple warrior; he's also knowledgeable in economics (revitalizing the Louvre's Golden Man Alley, managing the Bellebourg Museum), technology (making movies with Pinocchio, bartending, and creating cat-shaped cakes on the space station), and has dabbled in everything from lock picking to ghost hunting. Calling him a shrewd operator wouldn't be an exaggeration, would it? Telling him that, he's probably...
"Wait, a soul? Is there only a soul?"
"Nahera, please don't—"
Yes, only the soul.
Lithost covered his face with his hands. He wished he could rush out and stuff the Dragon Scale Life Contract into Qiong's hand for Nahera, then order her to leave and drive her to Leiera to complete the knighthood.
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What I imagined the new version would be: gathering the Goldenborn geniuses and the strengthened pioneer squad after their corruption, ganging up on the unlucky player who failed to get the Iron Tomb card in one pull, then ending everything and encircling them... or it would still be a gang fight, then sacrificing some to end everything and encircling them again.
The real new version: Want to take down one-ninth of Zandal, the father of the genius club's first seat, the scepter prototype? Think again. One small action and you'll be offline for a thousand years... And is the corrupted March 7th, who borrowed the servant's contact lenses from next door, actually more intelligent?
I should have thought of that earlier; after all, I had to take Paradise Ice Cream as an example... I actually believed that roast chicken could reform itself...
Hopefully this will be the last time (but it seems unlikely), then I'll stuff the Iron Tomb into Zhou Ben's body and kick the Memory Master who came to cause trouble in Liuguang Yiting to death.
Let's keep updating and see if we can finish before midnight...