Chapter 288
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 288
Chapter Title: Like Us, You Too.
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Whiiiiiing!
The jungle was densely packed with trees.
A group was tearing through its heart like madmen.
Just moments ago, they had exhausted every effort to hide in the jungle, evading the eyes of the Green Dragon Clan.
Now, they were fleeing for their lives to escape it.
'I have to let them know!'
He felt his subordinates falling behind, but he paid it no mind.
Abandon all his men.
Even lose his own life.
He had no choice—he had to get out of here.
'No matter what it takes, I have to spread the word!'
Fortunately, the Green Dragon Clan was so overcome with emotion that, for the moment, they wouldn't notice no matter how hard the group raced through the jungle.
But this chaos wouldn't last long.
Just as they had chosen to flee upon witnessing the anomaly in the jungle.
The Green Dragon Clan would soon seal off the area.
To ensure nothing leaked out.
So before they snapped out of it, he had to escape this jungle at any cost.
What they had just seen.
What they had felt with their very bodies.
Until this tremendous truth was revealed, they didn't even deserve to die.
With that resolute determination.
They became a streak of gale-force wind, charging straight through the jungle.
In one direction, without deviation.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The war between the Green Dragon Clan and Forest Guild had left deep scars on São Paulo.
Not only had over a dozen buildings been smashed to pieces.
The Forest Guild had collapsed, and its lord, Gula, had met his end.
No matter their immense influence in Brazil, even the Green Dragon Clan couldn't cover this up.
It could have dragged them into the backlash too.
But fortunately, it didn't.
Thanks to Li Chingwei's preemptive measures, the blame fell squarely on the traitorous Forest Guild.
The Green Dragon Clan became mere victims who had tried to stop it out of goodwill.
A victory of money and power, in other words.
Of course, the biggest factor was Gula's blatant rampage into the city as a colossal monster.
Even so, right after the war, the Green Dragon Clan's position wasn't all that bad.
The real problem lay elsewhere.
It hadn't been long since Magic Lord Carl's death had shocked the world.
Now even the Monster Lord had died, and as if that weren’t enough, the Forest Guild itself had been annihilated. The ripples were massive.
World stock markets, especially Brazil's, which had barely stabilized, plunged into chaos again.
"Sell!"
"But selling now means massive losses. Maybe hold and watch a bit longer..."
"You idiot, a top-ten guild collapsed—think Brazil's economy will hold up? Sell now if you don't wanna die!"
Mocked as a ragtag bunch, Forest was still one of the top ten guilds.
Considering the stature of high-level players—each a one-man corporation—their annihilation equaled hundreds of companies collapsing at once.
Their dungeon byproducts cut off.
In this Iron Age, that alone was fatal to national economies.
Plus, a coup had erupted, and parts of São Paulo lay in ruins despite suppression.
Those convinced Brazil's economy would decline for 30 years dumped stocks like mad.
"Buy!"
"You sure? We don't even know how Brazil will turn out."
"Not Brazil—buy Quetzalcoatl stocks! Think a Seven Dragon Group company like Quetzalcoatl will crumble like this?"
On the flip side, those expecting the Green Dragon Clan's unchallenged dominance without rivals snapped up related stocks.
Quetzalcoatl's parent company was 100% owned by the princess, but affiliates traded freely.
With stocks going berserk like this.
Even the Green Dragon Clan was too busy shoring up affiliates to clean up war aftermath.
Thank goodness Gula was a scumbag who hadn't been active lately as a lord.
If he'd dominated the world economy like Gold Lord or controlled the item market like Creation Lord, the economy might have truly collapsed.
But at that very moment.
Maia paid no heed to her clan's chaos.
"What an incredible body you have."
"Spare me the sexual harassment."
"Don't talk nonsense. I'm speaking of your recovery ability."
"Guess smashing my arm does bother you after all?"
"Hmph. Mere curiosity as a researcher."
"Of course."
His arm had been pulverized just days ago.
Now, not a trace remained. Rimon Asfelder smirked.
"More importantly, how's the master's body faring?"
"Still calling me master?"
"Ditching 'former master' right after the contract ends seems too heartless."
"As shameless as ever."
In Quetzalcoatl's lavish hospital room.
Lying on the massive bed, Maia sneered.
"As you see, I'm fine now."
Rimon's question wasn't the usual visitor's pleasantry.
Maia's reply wasn't empty reassurance either.
The color in her perpetually pallid face, her lips tinged pink—proof enough.
It wasn't just her complexion.
Since using herself as a test subject.
The seizures without meds, the constant pain spikes.
Yet during the past few days, even without medication, everything had remained calm. That proved she was truly 'fine' now.
"Too fine, that's the problem."
"Is that a problem?"
"You've casually solved the lifelong goal I chased, you mere swordsman."
Luxurious.
Plush.
Yet ordinary.
Thus, unfamiliar.
Fiddling with the bed she'd lain on, Maia let out a wry smile.
To avoid toxin leaks in sleep, she'd only slumbered in specially crafted medicated baths.
Yet asleep in this plain bed?
Felt like a dream still.
"Well... sorry for stealing your thunder, but that wasn't my intent."
"I know."
Maia nodded.
Self-exams these past days revealed much.
Her body had recovered.
Her shortened lifespan had been extended.
And she could now control the toxin.
All thanks to Rimon's eighth dragon psionic channeling Amazon's life force into her.
And...
"Including that this is temporary."
Short as days.
Long as a month.
Health would decline again.
Obviously.
Rimon's life force merely repaired her experimental damage, extended life a bit.
Unrelated to toxin control now.
His dragon psionic, infused with the life force, synced and filled her imperfections.
But psionic was highly volatile.
Vast quantity left remnants.
Time would consume it all.
Toxins would rage unchecked.
Devour her lifespan anew.
Rimon's miracle merely bought time. No full escape from fate.
"But this is enough."
"Enough...? You really think so?"
"You kept your oath."
Yet Maia felt no disappointment.
For one who'd lived in endless frustration, expecting anything felt stranger.
"Well, then this was pointless."
That was why.
Seeing what Rimon pulled from his cheek-scratch, Maia wore an odd expression.
"...What is that?"
"What else? A get-well gift."
Vivid, lifelike petals.
Fresh leaves.
Like the stone sculpture before.
But silver now, more intricate. Rimon smiled meaningfully, offering the flower.
"A temporary fix for master's worries, too."
Maia eyed it suspiciously.
Rimon reached for her hair instead of explaining.
His brazen act made her flinch, but she didn't stop him.
After days as his 'slave,' she was used to such.
But right after.
Maia raised a brow.
As Rimon neatly adorned her hair with the sculpture.
A familiar scent enveloped her—fainter before, now thicker, clearer.
No, not a scent.
Her princess senses mistook a transcendent sense for smell.
And that meant one thing.
"Dragon psionic...?"
"Yes."
"Not enough with the performance—you infused this trinket too?"
"Gained a bit from this mess."
Rimon chuckled.
A blessing in disguise, perhaps.
Lots happened, but he'd achieved his Brazil goal.
This sculpture was proof.
"...You always surprise me."
Maia was dumbfounded.
Preserving psionic in an object.
In a way, more absurd than eighth dragon psionic.
Living beings, maybe.
Even Seven Dragons couldn't store it in items.
Yet the one who'd achieved the impossible in Seven Dragon Society history just shrugged nonchalantly.
"Not permanent, sadly. Months at best."
"But it'll let me control the toxin meanwhile."
"Exactly."
"Knowing that, you're just giving it away?"
"Demanding payment for a patient's gift? That's bastard behavior."
"..."
Months later.
Years later.
Body worsens? Just say the word.
I'll bring another get-well gift.
As if it were nothing, Rimon's words left Maia silent.
An object holding eighth dragon psionic.
To her—to any Seven Dragon princess—a treasure worth billions.
Giving it freely?
Too absurd, almost inexplicable.
Especially now, over ten days past, no need to play slave.
That was it.
Confirming what she'd long suspected.
"Rimon Asfelder."
To verify her hunch.
She called him.
And asked.
"Why do you keep showing me such favors?"
"Favors?"
"You're not one to visit the sick or hand out gifts casually."
"...Do I seem that heartless?"
Rimon looked miffed.
Brought a gift, yet branded cold-blooded.
But Maia wasn't accusing him.
"Not as much as Li Chingwei, but I know you somewhat."
Iron Age diminished Sword Masters to relics, but she was Green Dragon Clan's grudge-holding princess.
As a future revenge target, she'd investigated Rimon.
"Mad dog, indiscriminate killer, boss-beating psycho... You've collected quite the nicknames these decades."
"...If embarrassing me was the goal, mission accomplished."
"Spare the false humility."
What she hadn't realized before.
But ten days with him made clear, as she sneered.
"Those nicknames—you sought them out deliberately."
"What do you mean?"
Innocent query.
Maia ignored the Black Dragon-worthy lie.
Recalled his actions.
"You're no brainless thug like Gula trusting only brute force. Cunning old fox, wielding worldly wisdom when needed."
His conduct proved it.
Perfectly played slave—surely aced basic social graces.
Slavery was peak adaptation, in a way.
"Yet you never bothered. Acted bolder than anyone."
Tripped over grudges.
Spared no irksome foe.
Sneered at superiors, ignored criminal rights—fists before words.
Less legendary hero of centuries, more troublemaking geezer.
As if he'd planned that image.
To Maia.
One reason.
"You called us grudge-bearing hedgehogs pushing others away. But wasn't that you, too?"