Chapter Fifteen: The Dragon’s Dominance

Roxiu had no idea why the Red Dragon, rumored to crush others’ skulls with a single punch, would appear here in the middle of the night, nor why she had blocked his path.

He had vague suspicions but wasn’t yet certain.

After a moment’s thought, he decided to feign ignorance.

With polite demeanor, he spoke, “Sir, may I ask why you are blocking my way?”

Tasanya’s eyes scrutinized Roxiu. When she heard his question, a sly smile lifted the corner of her mouth; her voice was raspy, like sandpaper.

“Is it not allowed to block your way without a reason?”

Roxiu felt exasperated. This Red Dragon was just as difficult as the rumors said.

Yet he kept a calm exterior and smiled, replying, “Sir, you jest. It’s so late now; if you have no business, I shall take my leave.”

With that, Roxiu tried to slip past, carrying Leila.

Suddenly, a tremendous “BOOM!” sounded before him, halting his steps.

To his left, a tree as thick as a millstone crashed to the ground, severed cleanly in half by Tasanya’s nonchalant punch.

Impressive!

Sweat beaded on Roxiu’s forehead. This woman radiated the strongest oppressive aura he had encountered since arriving in this world.

Far more terrifying than the second-tier slime that nearly devoured him earlier—by at least one whole level.

“Sir, I don’t quite understand your meaning,” Roxiu forced himself to remain composed.

“You don’t need to understand,” Tasanya said, rubbing her neck and stretching her muscular arms. “I don’t like tedious talk.”

“You answer my questions.”

“If you answer well, you may walk away alive today.”

“If not, leave your life here.”

Roxiu’s heart chilled. A surge of unspeakable anger rose from deep within.

She was threatening his life? His life was worth so little?

Since crossing into this world, he had clawed his way up from giving massages just to survive.

Now this Red Dragon casually demanded his life, as if his fate was already sealed in her hands.

That infuriated him.

He suppressed the coldness in his eyes and smiled, “Sir, ask whatever you wish; I will not withhold anything.”

“Why are you here?”

Tasanya asked.

Her gaze never fixed on Roxiu but drifted skyward to the thick clouds, as if utterly bored and dismissive of him.

Roxiu fabricated a reason: “My slave and I came to gather some herbs.”

Tasanya seemed to accept this and asked, “How long have you been gathering herbs here?”

“Since this afternoon,” Roxiu replied without hesitation.

“Have you seen a group of adventurers?”

Tasanya finally shifted her gaze from the clouds back to Roxiu, staring intently into his eyes as she spoke softly, “Among them is a boy with blue hair.”

At last.

Roxiu thought to himself; the conversation had inevitably returned to this subject.

Sure enough, this Red Dragon had come here on a rainy midnight to find that blue-haired boy.

Which meant that boy’s identity was indeed...

The youngest son of Lord Bantanda.

Roxiu opened his mouth to deny ever meeting the boy.

But a dazzling golden light suddenly burst from Tasanya’s pupils, and a terrifying aura radiated from her.

Behind her loomed the figure of a crimson dragon, exuding an overwhelming dominance as it fixed its gaze on Roxiu.

In that instant, Roxiu felt as though his breath stopped; his blood ran cold, and the carefully woven lie in his mind dissolved.

Under the dragon’s scrutiny, he could utter no falsehood—only the truth.

Damn it, Roxiu’s mind raced.

Just as he prepared to recklessly make a desperate move, he was delighted to discover that his system interface still functioned perfectly under the crushing dragon pressure.

He hastily allocated a point to his mental resistance.

Like a fresh breeze clearing his mind, his previously taut spirit loosened briefly beneath the dragon’s oppression.

Though four points of mental resistance were still insufficient to withstand the pressure for long, this momentary relief was enough for him to speak the rehearsed words:

“Never seen him.”

Three concise words.

The dragon pressure dissipated.

Tasanya’s pupils returned to normal color. She stared at Roxiu a moment before saying, “Alright, I have no further questions.”

Roxiu wiped the sweat from his brow and forced a smile, “Then, Sir, good night.”

He stepped to the right, intending to pass by Tasanya.

At the very moment they brushed shoulders, Tasanya smiled.

Her smile was bright and amused, as if she had thought of something entertaining.

The sight of her smile sent a warning bell ringing in Roxiu’s mind.

He quickened his pace to put distance between them.

Tasanya showed no intention of pursuing. She watched Roxiu sprint away with growing delight.

She was always like this.

She enjoyed watching her prey run wildly before being killed, liked seeing them unprepared for death, and reveled in the destruction of beautiful things.

She loved everything that symbolized death and devastation.

Though Roxiu’s answers were satisfactory, she never intended to let him go.

Why? Probably because he was too handsome.

She wanted to see that striking face smashed with a punch.

Just imagining that scene thrilled her.

She watched Roxiu run, curious how far he could get.

Based on her experience, prey often ran without looking back until they reached what they thought was safety.

Suddenly, her smile froze.

At the edge of her vision, Roxiu stopped.

He turned around, holding Leila in one hand, and with the other made the universal insulting gesture of the kingdom.

Tasanya felt blood rush to her head; veins bulged on her forehead.

Never—never had anyone dared make that gesture at her, not even the young master she was sworn to guard.

Very well.

Her smile turned ruthless. She could even hear her molars grinding.

She had intended to give Roxiu a quick end, but now she changed her mind.

She would show this blonde man what it meant to enrage the Red Dragon Tasanya!

Her gaze fixed on Roxiu; her right hand slowly clenched into a fist, tightening.

Dragon might and immense strength intertwined and condensed in her fist, a colossal dragon’s head phantom slowly forming over it, the roar of a dragon rising.

“Roar!”

The air around began to ripple violently as layers of energy surged outward, spreading toward the horizon.

Roxiu, sensing danger from afar, seemed frightened and took off running again, vanishing from Tasanya’s sight.

Tasanya laughed harshly.

Run? You think you can escape?

The next second, she unleashed a punch.

The enormous phantom dragon head roared as it blasted forward, destroying everything in its path and carving a wide chasm toward Roxiu’s retreat.

Tasanya smiled with satisfaction.

Though not her favorite head-exploding strike, she looked forward to savoring the sight of the man’s obliterated remains later.

After all, he was the first man to flip her off.

Just then, hundreds of beams of red light surged from afar, imbued with destructive power.

In an instant, they pierced her unguarded body.

“Pfft!”

Blood spurted as Tasanya stared in disbelief at her wounded form.

This was... Thorn Guard?!

How could Thorn Guard be with that man?!

Where was Will?!

Had that man been lying just now?

Had he dared to lie beneath her dragon might?

And perhaps Will... was dead?

Tasanya dared not think further.

She dreaded imagining how Lord Bantanda would punish her if this were true.

The mere thought made her shudder, cold sweat drenching her back.

She finally understood why Roxiu had provoked her earlier: he wanted her to expend her full strength so Thorn Guard could severely wound her.

Fortunately, she had not lost all fighting capability.

Wiping blood from her mouth, Tasanya resolved to find that man.

With Thorn Guard’s protection, he surely was still alive.

She had to find him to report to her lord.

As she prepared to move toward where Roxiu had disappeared, a roar sounded behind her.

Tasanya turned, puzzled, to see a swarm of translucent creatures bounding through the rain toward her.