124 Descent into Darkness

Flying over to Lyrria's direction was a 12 metre tall silver scaled Dragon, who moved with a domineering swagger that gave off the feeling of immense self-confidence. Of course, It was Argentino. And even as he flew towards Supreme Fire Dragon's VIP section, he was looking right back at Theodore with an expression that looked equal parts curious and cocky.

Theodore wasn't a fool and he was sure that Argentino had somehow detected the minute interaction between him and Lyrria. Again. He didn't know how he did it, but Argentino had always been able to notice the relationship between him and Lyrria for what it truly was, when everyone else was fooled. It was weird and more than a little frightening.

For now, it appeared that Argentino hadn't told anyone else, but there wasn't a moment that Theodore breathed that he didn't feel like a claw was pressed against his throat, and at any moment, it would be all over.

But the main reason for Theodore's current inner turmoil was the obvious intentions that Argentino had in flying over to the Supreme Fire Dragon VIP section. He wanted to meet Lyrria!

Remembering the ghastly things that Argentino had whispered into his ear just over 30 minutes ago, Theodore couldn't help but think the worst. In that moment, rage and jealousy tag teamed to destroy his rationality, and he almost charged over to Argentino without regard for the consequences.

But just as he was unknowingly moving forward, he collided with someone and disrupted both of their flying.

Theodore's mind snapped back from the place it had been cornered into and gave the 2 devious emotions a mighty blow each, causing Theodore to regain control of his actions. But perhaps, a little too late.

POW!

A huge claw crashed into his face, causing him to spiral backwards with pain.

"Watch where you're going you filthy Lizard." came the deep voice of a massive Water Dragon that was clearly in the Spirit Beast Realm. "Tch, I feel like cleansing myself in a lake. What a disgrace." the Dragon said as he flew away and vanished into the crowd, but not after causing a wave of laughter that left Theodore in a pile of humiliation.

Looking at the abundant laughing faces, along with Argentino who was making his way over to Lyrria, Theodore's mind was once more beat back into a corner.

'Why am I so unlucky? If I had more talent I could have lived in one of the highest caves on the Mountain, enjoying the Magical Energy in the environment and the potent Herbs that grew there. I could have lived with Lyrria proudly, letting everybody know that she belonged to me, and beating up everybody who dared to covet her. But instead, my talent is the lowest of the low, codemning me to live in a cave that nearly scrapes the ground. Come to think of it… What is the difference between me and any of those weak creatures in the Forest? What is the difference between me and a-a- a Lizard? …Fuck! If only I didn't have such useless parents!' Theodore thought with blinding fury.

But it was that last thought that doused out his rage in an instant.

'W-what did I just…' Theodore thought as he opened his eyes wide with intense regret. He… he had finally said the thought that he had tried his best to bury.

Ever since the day that he knew what innate talent was, Theodore had secretly been upset by his parents who did not possess a scrap of talent that they could pass on to him. However, when they had mysteriously died, he promised himself that he was going to forget all about talent and prove his parents proud by making it big without it. He would never blame his dead parents.

Alas, that promise that had been deteriorating in the past few years, had finally been utterly broken.

'B-but look at the situation!' Theodore thought, trying to console himself. 'How can I… How can I take it?! I should be allowed to vent a little right? Right?!' Theodore thought as guilt joined in the battle to wreck apart his mind.

' …Oh goddess, what am I doing? Father, Mother, I am sorry! Please forgive me'

Stress had apparently joined the tag team match against Theodore's mind, and he was gradually breaking down with tears appearing in his eyes.

= What a POOR boy~ =

Came a sudden deep voice within Theodore's head, shocking him greatly. He cautiously looked around, trying to look for the voice that he was somehow sure was talking to him when the voice spoke up once more.

= With such a trashy body, you are ultimately destined to be a nobody your whole life. What a pity~ =

Theodore froze. But although the things that were being said rattled him greatly, he wasn't about to take whatever this faceless being said seriously. The goddess had once warned the Dragon race of mind control and had even given an example by revealing a certain group of Dragons that had suddenly gained green eyes, a strange green symbol on their foreheads, ferocious power, and boundless evil intent. Of course, they were all killed, but it was still quite the terrifying sight.

Apparently, a powerful evil spirit had risen 30 years ago (this was before he was born), and all the Dragons with weak minds had been unable to resist against its evil enthrallment, causing them to become possessed or something like that.

The strange thing was that all of those that had been forcefully revealed by the goddess were people who were originally not all that talented (but still more talented than him), but had suddenly gained great talent and random upgrades in power from time to time. So it was clear that although they were forced to reveal their cards all at once, the passive power they gained was obtained much earlier.

Although Theodore had snorted in disdain when he had heard about it back then, he couldn't help but think 'what if…', before he forcefully calmed his mind with a peace-inducing breathing technique that the goddess had spread out to the Dragon race.

= Hmm? I am feeling my connection with you fade away by the moment. What are yo- …What is this strange breathing pattern? …How miraculous! I would like to thank you for teaching me, but that is not the point of this… visit, shall I say? So I would like you to stop it. =

Theodore had started rejoicing when he heard the first part of the faceless beings words, barely stopping himself from speeding up the breathing technique, which would give adverse effects instead of what he wanted, but when he heard how the unknown man (for he was sure that faceless being was male) had learned the technique in but a single moment, he had panicked.

His only consolement was that the voice was gradually fading away and that he would soon be free. But when the faceless being had finally ordered him to stop… his body had frozen up! Without his consent, his body had obeyed the words of the unknown being that was speaking to him in his head!

But that wasn't it. No, it got worse.

Because when the breathing technique was abruptly broken, a sudden avalanche of emotion had hit him like a sledgehammer and quickly occupied all of his thoughts. It was an emotion that he had been feeling a lot of lately so it wasn't all that hard for him to… identify it.

He had felt it when he looked at the 15 peaks of the Dragon Mountain.

He had felt it whenever he saw new Dragons who were younger than him had surpassed him in cultivation.

He had certainly felt it whenever he looked at Argentino.

And there were even a few times that he felt it when he looked at Lyrria.

It was Envy.