1239-1247

Chapter 1239: Monitoring Eye

The two ambushing blade air waves were nothing but child's play for Rhode. Without even turning around, he clenched his right hand and swung forward. Clink! Clink! The two shadowy blade air waves were repelled as though struck by lightning.

At that moment, Rhode witnessed the true identity of the ambushers. They were young ladies with delicate and pretty facial features. Despite that, Rhode couldn't treat them as humans. The reason was simple. Their long lizard-like tails, as well as brass-like skin tone was enough to prove their identity.

Dragon race.

However, unlike Erin who could transform into perfect human form, these two young ladies were unbearable to look at. But it wasn't their poor transformation that bothered Rhode. Instead, it was their golden eyes that resembled that of lizards. Their pupils had also shrunk into straight lines as though exuding unusual strength.

That isn't an indication of an ordinary dragon race...

"Void Dragon?"

One of the young ladies knitted her brows, staring at Rhode with her golden, lizard-like eyes. After a few moments, she sheathed her sword and swept a glance at the group dubiously. Meanwhile, Rhode also noticed that her gaze paused on Anne and Angelina, before shifting away shortly after.

"May I know who is here to accept the inheritance trial?"

"... Inheritance trial?"

Upon hearing her words, Rhode's group gazed at the two young ladies suspiciously. After witnessing their confused expressions, the two young ladies also widened their eyes in disbelief. Then, one of them puckered her brows and glared at Rhode.

"Aren't you people here to partake in the Dark Dragon's inheritance ceremony? Your Majesty Void Dragon, you are the host for the ceremony, right?"

"..."

What kind of nonsense have I gotten myself into?

Rhode extended his arm and held his forehead. Even though he had predicted plenty of scenarios, this current one came as a total surprise. But since it had already happened, he had no other choice. Although he wasn't exactly sure who the two young ladies were, he still responded.

"My apologies. We're here to rescue someone. Regarding the inheritance trial, I suppose we can catch up on that later. Right now, I hope you can tell us whether there is a path that leads to a dragon prison from here."

"... A dragon prison?"

Upon hearing his question, the two young ladies' expressions changed slightly. They exchanged looks with each other and the young lady who spoke earlier stepped forward immediately. She extended her arm to grip the hilt, stared attentively at Rhode, and spoke.

"Are you looking to violate the sacred agreement, Your Majesty the Void Dragon? Failures aren't allowed to leave the prison. Could it be that you're here to destroy this rule?"

Damn it. I don't even know what kind of agreement this is.

After hearing the young lady's response, Rhode held his forehead and let out a helpless sigh. Rhode could have contacted his younger sister to inquire about this situation. But now that the surface was shrouded in Chaos fog, he couldn't reach out to anyone. But even so, he concluded the situation immediately using his experience and sharpness as a veteran player. It was apparent that the true Dark Dragon was still in deep sleep. According to the two young ladies, it seemed like one had to go through a certain ceremony to inherit the Dark Dragon's soul and they were the supervisors. Not only that, but the inheritance ceremony also seemed to require a third party to host. The dragon soul heir would need to pass certain trials before gaining the recognition of the Dark Dragon. Besides, the trial also seemed dangerous to a certain extent. If the dragon soul heir failed to pass the trial, he or she would be imprisoned forever. But...

Rhode gazed at Angelina. Upon realizing his gaze, the latter shook her head hurriedly.

"I swear Her Highness Erin and I didn't pass any trial or witness anything like this. We simply walked and arrived at the prison!"

"I think there may be some misunderstanding, misses. As a matter of fact, we're here to..."

Rhode pondered and believed that his guesses were close to the mark. He lifted his head, looked at the two young ladies, and told them the crucial points of the entire situation. After listening to his explanation, the two young ladies looked at each other in consternation, apparently unable to make any sense of the matter.

"Hmph, who knows whether you're telling the truth. This is regarding the Dark Dragon, while you..."

The other young lady was obviously displeased by Rhode's story. She let out a snort and spoke in disdain. But before she finished her sentence, her companion stopped her, lifted her head, and sized up Rhode once more. Then, she spoke.

"Your Majesty the Void Dragon, how do you prove the truth of your words?"

"Simple."

Upon hearing her question, Rhode felt relieved. He gently snapped his fingers and continued.

"If I'm not wrong, both of you are in charge of the inheritance ceremony, right?"

"That's right, we're responsible for guarding the dragon soul altar. Whenever one arrives, we will be awakened to monitor and prevent any issues."

Facing Rhode's question, the young lady nodded. After hearing her answer, Rhode smiled.

"In other words, you remember the appearances of every dragon soul heir, be it they succeeded or failed?"

"That's for sure... So what you meant is..."

The young lady narrowed her eyes as though figuring out the source of the problem. Upon realizing that she wasn't a naive person, Rhode heaved a sigh of relief. He restored his usual, ice-cold expression and gazed at the two supervisors.

"Yes, I'm not afraid of telling you the truth; the Country of Darkness is in a terrible state right now and that is why we need to gather help. Someone who was likely to inherit the dragon soul is trapped in the prison due to an accident. She didn't partake in the trial, so according to the rules, I suppose this situation should be regarded as an exception. As for proving the authenticity of my words, why don't you see it with your own eyes? Anyway, you guys are the supervisors who are awakened for every inheritance ceremony. If you don't have any impression of her, wouldn't it mean that she didn't partake in the inheritance ceremony?"

"..."

Facing Rhode's words, the two young ladies remained silent. Meanwhile, Thode knitted his brows and felt rather concerned. Logically speaking, even though he spoke the truth, he clearly knew that most guardians of 'ceremonial dungeons' were stubborn fools. They were the type who would rather kill 1000 innocents than to let that one person off.

Rhode remembered a headstrong NPC who oversaw the class advancement trial for rangers, which required the rangers to kill 100 boars. Even though it wasn't challenging, there was an annoying setting of the game, whereby if the player prepared 100 boars before the class advancement trial, the examiner would still not accept them. The examiner had to follow the player around to witness the player kill 100 boars before the trial was considered a success. This setting left many players grumbling endlessly. Stubborn NPCs were a huge trouble for players sometimes...

And now, Rhode was worried that these two young ladies would turn out to be stubborn fools who insisted that since Erin was locked up in the prison, she had no rights to exit. That would spell trouble. Judging from their reactions, this ceremony was apparently their turf. They were more familiar with this godforsaken place than anyone else. If the negotiations broke down, Rhode could only make the first move and capture them. But if he let them escape, he didn't know how much time he needed to spend to find them again.

Fortunately, it seemed like the two young ladies weren't as stubborn as mules.

"Okay then."

After pondering for a few moments, the young lady who seemed to be the elder sister nodded in agreement. She extended her arm and placed her hand on the wall beside her. Shortly after, along with this action, the wall twisted, spun, and a stone door was unveiled behind it. Gazing at the stone door that was opening gradually, Rhode glanced at the two young ladies before leading his group through the entrance. Then, the group was dazzled and at the next moment, an incomparable coldness engulfed their bodies all of a sudden.

"This is it! This is the place!"

Gazing at the run-down and ice-cold stone path, Angelina became agitated.

"Your Highness Erin! Your Highness Erin! I'm back! I brought Master here! Where are you?!"

"Your Highness Erin... Your Highness Erin..."

Angelina's screams echoed throughout the empty corridor before vanishing entirely in the darkness. There were no responses. Rhode's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. A feeling of uncertainty surged in his mind. At the same time, Angelina seemed to also detect something as she scanned the surroundings and dashed toward a specific direction. Rhode led the rest in following Angelina closely. Shortly after, under Angelina's lead, they arrived before an enormous cave.

What came into their vision was a huge, black dragon that was bound by chains. At that moment, the dragon was laying on the ground and in a deep slumber.

This should be that dark dragon that Angelina mentioned...

But now, what caught Rhode's attention the most was the slender figure who lay on the wall lifelessly beside the dark dragon.

"Erin!"

Chapter 1240: Sleeping Beauty

Rhode never thought he would see Erin in this vulnerable state. In his impression, this princess always showed an elegant and serene smile no matter what difficulties she faced. Even when she was sent to another world, she didn't give up hope, but continued to search for clues and ways back home instead. She was like the moon in the sky: bright, peaceful, beautiful, and possessed absolute presence.

But now, this big, round moon was clouded by haze.

Erin lay by the corner of the walls. She was pale, and her black, silky hair had lost its luster. A book had also fallen to her left. Looking at this scene, everyone was stunned. After all, it looked too ominous. Rhode strode ahead immediately, extending his arm to hold Erin's wrist. The moment he held her wrist, he puckered his brows. Because her jade-white wrist felt as cold as steel, which apparently wasn't normal at all. Erin wasn't an undead creature. But now, her body was almost like that of a corpse. If it weren't for the weak pulse, perhaps Rhode would have believed that she was dead.

"There's actually someone else here?"

Upon gazing at Erin, the two dragon young ladies were bewildered. It was obvious that, just like Rhode mentioned, this was a prison to lock up ones who failed the trials. In that case, no one other than losers should enter this prison. But now, it was apparent that they couldn't remember who Erin was, which also meant that Erin didn't partake in the trial. Despite all that, she was still imprisoned...

What exactly was going on?

Rhode had no time to care about their reactions anymore because Erin was in a terrible condition. Even though there were still some signs of vitality in her, she was close to being dead.

"Bubble!"

"Got it. Leave it to me, Leader."

Upon hearing Rhode's command, Mini Bubble Gum hurried to Erin's side and raised her arms. Along with this action, a light beam descended from above, shrouding Erin's body entirety. Erin couldn't help but shiver. Despite that, she didn't open her eyes as she continued to be in deep sleep. Looking at this scene, Mini Bubble Gum was surprised. She waved her arms and three spots of light emanated and revolved around Erin, forming a triangular magical ritual. Shortly after, Erin's body shone a white radiance that lasted for only a second.

The moon princess still didn't open her eyes. The spiritual brilliance emanating from her body scattered and vanished after a few moments as though they changed nothing.

"Huh? What in the world?"

Mini Bubble Gum cursed. She extended her arm once more. This time, the little rascal put on a grim expression and muttered a string of incantations. One by one, holy runes appeared before her fingertips. She stretched out and crossed her arms before her, drawing magical trails in the air. The runes coalesced, fused into Erin's body, and erupted in a blinding halo of light.

Even though this spiritual spell by Mini Bubble Gum appeared gorgeous and powerful, it was a pity that Erin didn't seem to have the intention of responding to her calling. She continued to lay on the wall with her eyes shut. It seemed like she wasn't waking up anytime soon. Looking at this scene, Mini Bubble Gum blew her top.

"What's going on? HP replenishment doesn't work, undoing of curses doesn't work. and casting the revival spell also doesn't work... I should try the great resurrection spell then. I bet it would work..."

Mini Bubble Gum grumbled and rolled up her sleeves, seemingly ready to unleash all her spiritual spells into Erin. Observing her reaction, Rhode was startled. He extended his arm and stopped her hurriedly.

"Alright, Bubble, now isn't the time for that. Seems like something is really wrong with Erin. We should think of other ways."

Rhode said, sizing up the young lady. Shortly after, Rhode realized that there was indeed something abnormal with Erin. Her entire body was ice-cold, but her forehead was burning with a fever. Rhode tried several ways to wake Erin up, but to no avail.

What exactly is going on?

"Her source of Order is disrupted."

While Rhode remained perplexed despite much thought, Cassidy, who stood silently beside him, finally spoke. She brought upon her usual, elegant smile that resembled a wealthy, noble young lady. But this time, her tone of voice was heavier. After Rhode and the others turned to her, Cassidy shrugged and explained.

"Her Highness Erin's rule is the moon. Logically speaking, even though this rule shouldn't be disrupted anywhere, it is an exception within a land of Chaos. Because Chaos will cut off any Order between rules. Her Highness Erin is unable to replenish her strength from her rule and still has to face the suppression of Chaos. In order to protect herself, her body has entered a state of deep sleep."

"In that case, isn't that the same for us? Besides, Her Highness Erin and I were trapped together, but I didn't experience similar issues."

Upon hearing Cassidy's explanation, Angelina asked with knitted brows. Her experience in escaping with Erin left a deep impression on her. She knew clearly that even though it was a torture to constantly flee in the underground, it only affected her mentally, after all. Meanwhile, Angelina's rule didn't face any pressure at all. if not, she couldn't have possibly survived after being slashed to chunks countless times by the invisible sword. Even though vampires weren't easily killed, for one like Angelina who was dismembered time and time again, she still took immense damage. If it weren't for the vampire rule in her, perhaps she wouldn't have survived to reunite with Rhode.

Cassidy seemed unconcerned. Shortly after, she gave a further explanation.

"That is normal. This time, the ones who His Majesty brought along are spiritually connected to him. Same goes for you, Miss Angelina; you have an extraordinary connection with His Majesty. Moreover, His Majesty, as a source of Order, is beside us right now, which is why we are constantly replenishing our strength of Order from him. But Her Highness Erin is different. Considering the fact that Ion is influenced by Chaos, as his younger sister, it isn't surprising that she is affected to a certain degree due to their bloodline."

"I understand the situation now."

Rhode nodded in response. All in all, Erin wasn't poisoned, sick, or cursed. Instead, she was in a similar situation as Lilian. As Order disrupted the rule power of Order, Erin wasn't able to replenish her strength. Even though Erin's rule was the moon and she could gain strength wherever she was, the problem was that right now, she was in the territory of the Country of Darkness. Besides, she had the same bloodline as Ion, so it went without saying that she instinctively gained power from the moon rule through the Dark Dragon's soul protection. However, as the Dark Dragon was influenced by Chaos, she wasn't able to replenish her power. On the contrary, she was suppressed and weakened by Chaos, which explained her state right now.

And now... What should they do?

"Do you have any solution?"

"As for solutions..."

Suddenly, Rhode discovered a look of embarrassment on Cassidy's face. But shortly after, she restored her usual, elegant smile of a noble young lady.

"... They do exist..."

Cassidy replied, gazed at Anne who stood beside her, and closed her mouth. Judging from her reaction, Rhode was taken aback. This time, among the members of his group, only Anne was considered a 'free soul' apart from Nell. Anne didn't have any contract with him like Angelina, wasn't connected to him in the system like Mini Bubble Gum, and was unlike Cassidy who reincarnated as his card.

In that case, why was Anne still not affected by Chaos?

At that moment, Rhode suddenly recalled the words that Cassidy explained to Angelina earlier, where she mentioned why the rest weren't as impacted as Erin.

It was that they had special connections with him. Back then, Rhode didn't give it much thought, especially after considering the fact that they were his card spirits and phantom guardian. But after turning to Anne and witnessing Cassidy shooting strange looks at her body, he came up with a thought immediately.

The so-called special connections. Could it be...

At this thought, Rhode's expression turned ugly. He lifted his head and gazed at Cassidy helplessly.

"So, what you meant was..."

"Just like what you're thinking, Your Majesty."

Facing his question, Cassidy's perfectly-disguised, elegant smile finally revealed some embarrassment and a blush emerged across her face. Her eyes also wandered as she said in an awkward tone.

"Your Majesty, as long as you do the same thing that you've done with Anne to Her Highness Erin and leave behind your mark in her, you can ease Her Highness Erin's burden and pain to a certain degree."

"..."

Facing Cassidy's response, Rhode was entirely speechless.

Chapter 1241: The Right Way to Wake the Sleeping Beauty

No matter what, Erin was finally found. However, her condition looked terrible and the group couldn't possibly leave her to her own demise. Rhode was confident that his younger sister had better solutions than him as the first Void Dragon. According to his guesses, even though the best way was to bring Erin back to the Void Territory and hand her over to his younger sister's care, it was a pity that the tunnel exit had been collapsed by Mini Bubble Gum. Even if it wasn't, the unconscious Erin would still be impacted by the domineering presence of Chaos outside, worsening her condition. After some consideration, Rhode stopped speaking to Cassidy and turned to the two dragon young ladies who stood quietly by the side.

"I suppose you understand the situation now. This young lady is in bad shape. I think we should leave this place first. And after we resolve this trouble, we will discuss the issue with you. What do both of you think?"

The two young ladies exchanged looks and one of them nodded in response.

"Alright, I understand, Your Majesty the Void Dragon. The current situation indeed doesn't seem right. But our responsibility will never change... So, please come with me."

Under her lead, Rhode's group entered the stone door and were teleported to another place. According to the young lady, this place served as a shelter and resting point. Even though the rooms were simple and there was nothing else apart from hardboard beds made of stone and crude tables and chairs, it was still better than spending their time suffering in the dark, chilly prison. Rhode lay Erin down on the bed of one of the rooms. After hastening on their journey without rest, the group was exhausted. Since they couldn't offer any help in this situation, they dispersed and found themselves a room to rest. Rhode was the only one left with Erin. He knitted his brows and considered the next steps.

Before he was left alone with Erin, he reconfirmed with Cassidy. He felt like the situation was too strange. Besides, based on Cassidy's usual attitude toward him, it wasn't likely that she would passionately come up with such 'opportunities' for him. And indeed, under Rhode's 'intimidation', Cassidy admitted that she was merely teasing him. As a matter of fact, she had no idea as to what exactly had to be done to cure Erin. She had never experienced anything similar, so how was it possible for her to know any secrets?

"B-But my theory isn't wrong, Your Majesty. You will have to establish a connection with Her Highness Erin!"

After speaking her mind, Cassidy slipped away like the silent wind as though she were afraid that Rhode would devour her in a single bite. Looking at her reaction, Rhode let out a helpless sigh. It seemed like even Cassidy didn't have a trick up her sleeve. She was one of the deity wardens who participated in the war against Chaos, after all. In terms of experience in this aspect, she was still trustworthy.

In other words... It would work as long as dragon soul powers are injected into Erin's body and a connection is established?

Gazing at the unconscious Erin, Rhode knitted his brows and thought. Then, he extended his arm and waved in the air. Shortly after, along with this action, a dragon-shaped aura appeared in midair. Rhode lay his arm down and the dragon-shaped aura entered Erin's body silently...

Boom!

But at the next moment, the dragon-shaped aura was rejected by her, erupting in a loud explosion before scattering in spots of light dust and disappearing in midair. At the same time, a system prompt appeared before his eyes.

[Target cannot be turned into a dependent. Usage fail]

I knew it.

Rhode shrugged at the sight of the system prompt. He thought he could repeat what he did with Nell—use his identity as the Void Dragon and turn Erin into his dependent, which would establish a connection between them. But it was a pity that it was impossible. Erin was also of the dragon race and born a dependent of darkness. No matter how capable Rhode was, he couldn't possibly poach her to his side.

So what should I do then? Should I inject my dragon soul powers directly into Erin?

At this thought, Rhode stretched his arm out again. This time, his hand emanated an illusory and bright radiance. He lifted his hand and the radiance shot straight at Erin, enfolding her entirety in the blink of an eye. However, the moment the radiance wrapped around her body, Erin let out a painful shriek. Her body that lay flatly on the bed curled up in agony. Rhode sulked and withdrew the radiance hurriedly.

This doesn't work either...

As a holder of dragon soul powers, it went without saying that Rhode felt a counteractive force when he attempted to inject the dragon soul powers into her body. Even though that counteractive force felt weak and could be shattered if he were to use more power, he knew it wouldn't work after witnessing Erin's painful state. He realized the force that resisted him was also a form of dragon soul power. In this case, it was simple to understand. The force came from Erin. If Rhode were to shatter it, Erin would also be done for.

Must I inject everything into her at once?

Rhode puckered his brows and recalled. He had to admit that even though Cassidy obviously tricked him, what she said wasn't wrong—Anne was neither his dependent nor connected to him via the system. This meant that what Cassidy said was meaningful to a certain extent. Could it be that he had to do it like what Cassidy suggested? Would it work?

If Rhode were any other man, perhaps he would have already laid hands on this defenseless and beautiful young lady laying before him. But it was a pity that Rhode wasn't aroused as he looked at the sleeping young lady. It wasn't that he didn't have any sexual attraction to her, but he simply wasn't interested in such one-sided behavior instead. The reason why he was addicted to 'intimate interactions' was because he could see how the other party reacted in his hands and also revealed various expressions. That was what excited him. And now, even though Erin was laying before him defenselessly, he didn't come up with any perverted ideas.

If I were to do it, I would rather grab a magazine and do it myself at the corner of the room since there's no difference.

Moreover, even though Erin was indeed beautiful, since when did he have any ugly women around him?

Start from the most basic then.

At this thought, Rhode sauntered toward Erin, stooping over and gazing at her. He gently caressed her soft, mellow cheek. He had to admit that although Mini Bubble Gum's spiritual spells weren't able to awake Erin, they cleanly cleansed her entire body. And now, Erin looked as though she just came out of the shower—snowy and delicate.

Not too bad.

The corners of Rhode's mouth perked up. Then, he pressed his lips against hers.

"..."

Facing his kiss, Erin couldn't refuse at all. Rhode extended his tongue, pried open her clenched teeth, and wrapped around her savory tongue. Even though he effortlessly stole the moon princess's first kiss, he wasn't excited in any way. On the contrary, he put up a focused look on his face. While he held his lips against hers, he used this channel to transfer his dragon soul powers bit by bit.

All in all, it felt more like CPR for him...

"Hmm..."

At that moment, Rhode's 'rescue' finally took effect. As Erin let out a soft groan, she stretched out her arms and wrapped around his neck, responding to his kiss. Upon realizing her reaction, Rhode was delighted. He separated himself from her and gazed at her.

"Erin, wake up! Erin!"

"Hmm..."

Upon hearing his calling, Erin let out another groan, but didn't open her eyes. Not only that, but she also loosened her arms around his neck as though she were powerless.

Must I really do it?

Just a few moments ago, Rhode felt like he had indeed established a spiritual connection with Erin. But the instant he separated himself from her, the spiritual connection also disconnected.

Seems like it won't work. I don't have any other way. Looks like I can only give it a shot.

At this thought, Rhode lowered his head without any hesitation and kissed Erin's soft lips.

"Hmm... Mmm..."

Upon feeling his kiss, Erin leaned toward the man above her and coiled her arms around him tightly. The sound of kisses and gasps echoed in the quiet room. Her tender, savory tongue emerging from between her slightly-opened lips intertwined with Rhode's tongue and demanded insatiably. Rhode responded to her desires and reached his hands out to fondle her body gently.

Seems like I will need to take it further.

Rhode thought he could awake Erin simply through kissing. Even if she couldn't recover fully, at least she would regain her consciousness. But now, it seemed really inefficient. Both of them had been kissing for almost 10 minutes and even Rhode felt a little exhausted. On the other hand, Erin continued tirelessly. As the dragon soul powers entered her body, she became even more aggressive.

We're not even looking to break the Guinness World Records. We won't have any progress even if we continue to kiss for two days.

At this thought, Rhode changed his strategy immediately. He extended his arm and caressed the young lady's body, at the same time stripping off her clothes. Even though it didn't seem any different from ordinary fondling, as a matter of fact Rhode had coalesced his spiritual powers on his palms gradually.

"Haa... Haa..."

Upon sensing his caress, Erin let out deep gasps. She lay weakly in his arms, her hands shrinking back to her chest as though instinctively protecting herself and at the same time, luring him to take further action...

This is getting fun.

Gazing at Erin who kept her eyes closed and revealed a flushed, coquettish expression, Rhode finally smiled. If Erin continued to sleep like a corpse, he would definitely not be aroused and even if he did, the enjoyment was just a matter of routine. But now, Erin reacted instinctively even in her sleep like he were teasing a sleepy kitten. She looked really adorable to him and made him have the intention to continue teasing her. He slid his hand down her smooth body and extended his fingers.

"Ugh...!"

Erin tensed up instantly to the stimulating touch. Even though she was unconscious, her body began to instinctively experience and respond to his caress. The young lady twisted her body uncontrollably as Rhode felt the slippery wetness on his hand. He stooped over, held her arms down, and thrust his hips forward. Then... They merged as one.

"Ah...!"

A loud scream sounded from the room. But thereafter, the sound of physical collision and continuous gasps became the main melody...

Chapter 1242: Fairy Tale Ending

When Rhode opened his eyes, first that came into view were Erin's alluring eyes. The moon princess lay in his arms nakedly, staring at him without blinking. Upon realizing her gaze, Rhode twitched his brows and both of them remained in a strange silence. After a few seconds, Rhode let out a cough.

"You're finally awake, Princess."

"Yes, it is all thanks to your help."

Upon hearing Rhode's response, Erin didn't display any awkwardness or question the reason behind his actions. Because at that moment, she could clearly feel the burning sensation inside her body. She swayed her hip and looked at him with a teasing smile.

"I feel so awake. Shall we do it again?"

"Time is almost up. Since you're already awake, let's call it a day."

"Oh, really? If it were me, I think I could go on for a few more sessions."

Erin replied, twitching her brow. She extended and glided her fingers across his chest, at the same time rocking her hip as though grinding playfully and had no intention of stopping.

"Alright, stop messing around... Princess."

Upon realizing her actions, Rhode's expression remained unchanged, but grumbled inwardly. Back then, even though Cassidy said that to play tricks on him, she had indeed spoken the truth. The moment Rhode fused with Erin as one, he felt his spiritual powers constantly transmit to her. Meanwhile, Erin, who lost the support of the strength of Order, began to crave for more after acquiring the spiritual powers. Just imagine... How would a drowning person react if he or she were to finally gain access to oxygen?

Rhode also didn't expect Erin to be this rapacious. As a result, their 'battle' lasted for half a day before finally ceasing. Fortunately, even though Erin tried to contribute on her part, it was still her first experience, after all, and she couldn't be compared to Rhode who had mastered the various techniques. That was why Erin eventually gave in and ended the battle. But even so, as she continued to abstract power from Rhode, she almost caused him to lose his entire soul. At that very moment, he was considered to be in 'desperate straits'. If he were to do it again, perhaps blood would come out of him next.

Rhode couldn't help but feel depressed at this thought. He expected his constitution to reach a new height after becoming the Void Dragon, where there would be no issues for him 'taking on' 10 women in one night. In the end, halfway through his session with Erin, when he thought he could end the battle successfully, he realized that not only was she not weary, but she was also relentless.

It was at that moment when Rhode recalled that even though he was the Void Dragon, Erin wasn't an ordinary mortal either—she was also a dragon race! Although her constitution was incomparable to Rhode, this dependent of darkness didn't have an undeserved reputation.

Moreover, it wasn't only ordinary sexual intercourse they were having. Rhode had to transfer his spiritual powers to Erin, while the latter simply had to accept them. In this situation, he couldn't be blamed for feeling fatigue. But he was also aware that the moon princess was already conscious when she first acquired his spiritual powers and there wasn't a need for her to squeeze him dry. However, she still did it. It was apparent that this was her little revenge against him entering her body without permission. Of course, if that were only the case, it could be considered an adorable move. But Rhode didn't expect her to actually 'learned the long-lost technique of collecting Yang and replenishing Yin'.

If I knew this would happen, I would have gone to cultivate the Nine Man's Power for this moment...

Rhode let his imagination run wild as he sat up. Erin also stopped messing with him. She picked up her clothes from the other side of the bed. In just a few moments, the intimate couple returned to their usual selves.

"Your Majesty?"

Upon hearing Erin's call, Rhode turned over. Erin had already put on her clothes and was smiling at him gently.

"Thanks for your help..."

Erin said, lowering her head and giving a solemn bow. But shortly after, she revealed a witty smile as soon as she lifted her body. She put her palms together, blinking her black, bright eyes at the man. Although she didn't say a word, Rhode recognized the seriousness in her eyes.

"You will take responsibility, right, Your Majesty?"

"That's for sure."

Rhode nodded without hesitation. He thought about it before eventually laying hands on her. He couldn't possibly say that it was only an accident and not admit what he did. Moreover, now that the situation had escalated, Rhode wouldn't let her off even if she were to not assume responsibility. It would be fine if she were purely the victim, but how could she expect Rhode to be the one taking full responsibility after she enjoyed the process? It was impossible. Besides, assuming responsibility was also considered a form of 'grasping the initiative'. Deep down, Rhode knew that be it in modern times or another world, men had to assume responsibility in such scenarios in order to gain the initiative. Men should never retreat or break up with the other party using some lame excuses after devouring her body as it would only make matters worse. This was also why Rhode was able to survive in modern society and had several girlfriends without ending up being killed.

After getting Rhode's affirmation, Erin revealed a satisfied smile. The former didn't waste more time explaining. After all, this was only a small matter compared to the current situation. It was just like some Hollywood movies, where even though the protagonists pledged their undying love and had sex before the tsunami struck, alien invaded, and apocalypse or war broke out, it still wasn't the main plot of the story, after all. The male lead had to save the world after making love and not flee with the female lead... Because such movies would only be mocked.

If the director wished to win an Oscars, that story had to be the main plot to stand a chance instead.

Thereafter, Rhode left the guest room with Erin, arriving at the relatively spacious living room. Unsure of how much time they took, when Rhode called for everyone through the spiritual communication, they arrived at the living room swiftly. Their eyes widened in delight and heaved sighs of relief as soon as they spotted the smiling Erin who sat on the stone chair in glowing spirits.

"Your Highness Erin!"

Amongst them, Angelina was the most excited. Even though vampires were basically a synonym for cold-blooded, Erin and Angelina had established a close relationship during their escape. This time, it was Angelina who led Rhode and the rest to rescue Erin, so it went without saying that she was under tremendous pressure. The sight of Erin being perfectly fine moved Angelina emotionally as she shouted. Upon hearing her voice, Erin turned around and walked up to her to hold her hands.

"Thanks, Angelina."

"No, t-this is my duty. Your Highness Erin, are you alright?!"

"Of course."

Erin nodded in response before looking briefly at Rhode with a subtle smile.

"It is all thanks to His Majesty Rhode's help that I'm feeling much better."

"Hmm?"

Everyone was taken aback. Cassidy, Mini Bubble Gum, and the rest shifted their gaze to Rhode instantly. Anne was the only one who seemed ignorant. She blinked curiously at Rhode, before turning to Erin. Then, she asked dubiously.

"Leader? Big Sister Erin, how did Leader cure you?"

"That's a long story..."

Facing Anne's question, Erin replied with a smile and gave a meaningful answer. Upon hearing her response, Anne cocked her head in confusion. Meanwhile, Mini Bubble Gum suddenly saw the light, while Cassidy turned ashen and bit her lip in silence. Erin chuckled, extending her arm all of a sudden and waving at Anne and Mini Bubble Gum.

"Miss Bubble, Miss Anne, from today onward, I will be joining you girls, alright? Please take good care of me."

What in the—?!

Upon hearing Erin's remarks, Rhode rolled his eyes helplessly. Even though Erin didn't explain what she meant, was there even a need for that? Anne nodded as though she got it, while Mini Bubble Gum's eyes glinted. The latter raised her hand and waved back at Erin.

"Welcome, comrade! From today onward, we are comrades on the same front! Hahaha, I knew this day would come!"

... Bubble, you sure look happy betraying your leader, huh...

At this thought, Rhode was entirely speechless. Fortunately for him, there weren't many talkative people present, so he wasn't worried that he would be in deep trouble. But it wasn't comfortable for him seeing them teasing him in his face. He let out an awkward cough and changed the topic.

"Alright, since Erin is awake, we should consider our next plan..."

"Please wait."

At that moment, a voice interrupted him. Rhode turned around and witnessed the two dragon young ladies. They bowed respectfully before shifting their gaze to Erin curiously.

"Since the young lady is awake, I guess it is about time for the inheritance ceremony."

Chapter 1243: Dragon Soul Trial

"Inheritance ceremony?"

Rhode was surprised. He knew that even though the inheritance ceremony was important, it didn't seem like an appropriate time for it now. That was why he puckered his brows at the two dragon young ladies.

"Now? Don't you think it's rather inconvenient? I suppose you're aware by now just how unstable the situation is outside... Besides, something is also wrong with the Dark Dragon. I think... We should resolve the other issues before discussing it..."

"Of course we're aware of that."

Before Rhode finished his sentence, he was once again disrupted by them. Regarding the situation outside, Rhode ordered Angelina and the rest to give them an explanation. But it seemed like they were unmoved. He couldn't figure out what was going through their heads. Upon detecting his gaze, the dragon young lady who seemed like the elder sister nodded at him and continued.

"Regarding that issue, we've already engaged in an investigation. That thief has indeed stolen the former Dark Dragon's power. Due to that reason, we need to complete the inheritance ceremony as soon as possible, in order to find a suitable heir for the former Dark Dragon."

Right!

Rhode recalled an important question that was unanswered, and that was...

What exact methods did Ion use to obtain the dragon soul powers?

If it were said that Rhode doubted Angelina's report earlier, the appearance of these two dragon young ladies and also the pure aura of the Dark Dragon he sensed made him feel even more suspicious. It seemed like there were indeed unique inheritance methods for each dragon. In the past, this content wasn't uncovered by players in the game, so it was a new and interesting discovery for Rhode. And now, it was apparent that Ion used some underhanded method to acquire the dragon soul powers without passing the inheritance ceremony. Judging the situation from this angle, perhaps the Light Dragon had similar inheritance ceremonies. However, now that the Country of Light had crumpled, so perhaps no one would know the true answer as to how the Light Dragon inherited their dragon soul powers. After all, Lilian was still the weakest among the five Creator Dragons, even after she awakened her strength. In the past, Rhode thought that perhaps Lilian was too young and her dragon soul powers would become stronger as she grew older. But now, it seemed like the situation wasn't as simple as he thought.

"... What exactly is going on?"

After sounding out his doubts to the two dragon young ladies, Rhode asked in suspicion. Facing his question, the two dragon young ladies remained relatively calm. It seemed like they had also discussed and investigated this topic.

"That was what happened, Your Majesty Void Dragon. The thief used a certain, special method to acquire a portion of the Dark Dragon's soul."

One of the dragon young ladies said. She paused and gazed at Rhode.

"I suppose you've also met the Dark Dragon who was imprisoned along with the young lady."

"..."

Upon hearing her words, Erin couldn't help but shiver. She lifted her head and gazed silently at the dragon young lady. However, her eyes were flowing with uncertainty and worry. Despite that, the dragon young lady wasn't mindful of her expression. She merely swept a glance at Erin and continued.

"The Dark Dragon is the mother who gave birth to that thief of a dragon soul heir. Due to that reason, she resonants with his soul. Even though she can't use dragon soul powers like him, she is still linked to the dragon soul power. The thief must be aware of this, so he locked her up in here and used the dragon imprisonment ritual to transfer her power."

"Is there a way to resolve this issue?"

Rhode knitted his brows and asked. Upon hearing his question, the dragon young lady nodded.

"There is a way. We sense the strength of Chaos growing stronger. In order to stop Chaos from eroding the dragon further, we decided to destroy the dragon imprisonment ritual in the shortest time possible and kill the Dark Dragon. That is the only way to stop Chaos from threatening the dragon soul itself."

"No!"

Erin stepped forth and yelled. Upon hearing her scream, everyone was stunned. Meanwhile, Rhode remained silent. He had already received relevant information about that Dark Dragon from Angelina and knew that she was the mother of Ion and Erin.

Ion, that bast*rd, how could he hurt his own mother? How much more shameless can he get?

At this thought, Rhode shook his head.

Seems like not much more.

However, now wasn't the time to criticize whether Ion should be part of the legal system program on television over his domestic abuse. Therefore, Rhode threw this matter to the back of his head, extended his arm to hold Erin back, and looked at the dragon young lady.

"Is there no other way?"

"This is the safest."

Even though the two dragon young ladies were fair and reasonable earlier, they weren't willing to take a step back as the situation was a matter of principles. This was within Rhode's expectation. After all, Marybelle was also similar to them. Even though Marybelle seemed approachable, when it involved matters of principle about Chaos and Order, she would rather kill 1000 innocents than to let that one person off. Back then, Marybelle chose to kill Lilian for safety's sake when she was contaminated by Chaos. In the end, she settled for second best after Rhode forced Marybelle to stop. Judging from this point, it was obvious to Rhode that these beings who engaged in wars against Chaos treated their threats really seriously. Even if the dangers were minimal, they weren't willing to let up.

"Alright, what if we pass the inheritance ceremony and inherit the dragon soul powers?"

"There's not enough time."

The other dragon young lady curled her lips and said, apparently disinterested in Rhode's question.

"Your Majesty the Void Dragon, surely you're not thinking that the inheritance ceremony is just for show, right? We, as the supervisors, have to evaluate the strengths of the heir. If the heir isn't strong enough to pass the trial, the heir will be locked up forever."

"It doesn't sound reasonable."

At that moment, Anne retorted. As a civilian of the Munn Kingdom, she knew more less about the identity of dragon soul heirs. But after hearing their explanations, Anne couldn't tolerate it anymore.

"Aren't they already dragon soul heirs? Why can't the power be passed on directly? Why must it be such a hassle?"

"It is to prevent the dragon soul powers from being misused by evildoers. Not everyone has the right to use the power of darkness. If one fails to display one's views and mastery over the power of darkness and is manipulated like a puppet, one will surely be unfit to become the Dark Dragon's heir."

All of a sudden, Rhode felt like Lilian was being ridiculed for nothing. At that moment, Erin knitted her brows and opened her mouth, but eventually didn't speak a word. On the other hand, Anne curled her lips and gazed at the two dragon young ladies in disdain.

"Tsk, what's the point of saying it so nicely. Wasn't the dragon soul power still taken away in the end?"

"..."

In an instant, Rhode felt the temperature of the entire living room falling below zero. The brass cheeks of the two dragon young ladies also became as white as ice...

Ouch. You can't say that, Anne. You got to save them some 'face'... Looks like I'll have to teach you some manners after we head back. Just look at the two young ladies—they are so angry that their tails are standing upright now.

"In that case, I have a suggestion."

Since the situation had fallen into an awkward silence, Rhode decisively relied upon himself to resolve the impasse. He waved his hand airily, gesturing for them to forget about the unpleasant discussion and head straight into the main topic.

"Since both of you haven't killed the Dark Dragon, it means that you're unable to destroy the dragon imprisonment ritual completely. How about we make a deal? If we pass the trial of the inheritance ceremony and gain the dragon soul inheritance before you destroy the dragon imprisonment ritual, can you let her off in return?"

Even though Rhode didn't clearly mention it, everyone knew that 'her' referred to that Dark Dragon.

"And what is the point of that, Your Majesty the Void Dragon?"

Facing his suggestion, the two dragon young ladies revealed obvious doubts on their faces. Then, one of them continued.

"The Dark Dragon has been trapped in the dragon imprisonment ritual for years. Besides, the transfer of power also brings a lot of harm to her. The reason why she is able to survive isn't because she has strong vitality, but she relies on the dragon soul powers that flow inside her body instead. That is why even if every one of you passes the inheritance ceremony and inherits the dragon soul power, the dragon soul power inside her body will diminish immediately. After losing the support of dragon soul power, it will only be a matter of time before the Dark Dragon dies, isn't it?"

"..."

Upon hearing her reply, Rhode didn't continue speaking. He was aware that this was the truth. And now, it was up to Erin to make the decision.

"Even so..."

To his surprise, Erin broke the silence. The moon princess lifted her head and her pitch-black pupils glinted in unprecedented sorrows and determination.

"... I would still like to give it a shot."

Chapter 1244: 12 Trials (1)

Rhode didn't object to Erin's decision. As a matter of fact, this was the only way out. Even though his initial plan was to rescue Erin and bring her back, in this situation, his explanations just wouldn't cut it. Besides, even if he were to leave, perhaps he wouldn't even be able to exit the underground maze. He might as well take a risk to see whether they could find another exit after Erin inherited the dragon soul powers. As for Ion, Rhode couldn't be bothered. Rhode wasn't mindful about a guy who would be dead sooner or later. Moreover, Rhode wasn't interested in lowering his status in becoming Ion's younger sister's husband. In that case, the most sensible choice was for Rhode to kill the 'wife's' older brother, and everything would turn out well.

As for Erin, even though she had expended a lot of her power earlier, she regained almost all of her strength after receiving Rhode's power. The source of Erin's strength came from the moon rule. Rhode was the Void Dragon, so his power was like that of a world. Even though they were suppressed by Chaos, as long as Erin was by his side, she could remain connected to the moon rule through his spiritual space.

But...

"Watch out for your safety."

That was all Rhode could say as he gazed at Erin. He didn't have too many suggestions for her in this aspect because the trials for dragon soul heirs weren't released publicly to players in the past. Rhode also didn't have any useful or relevant memories and information. But one thing for sure was that the trials were definitely intricate and extremely dangerous. It was obvious enough from the rules, where losers had no chance of starting over and would be thrown into the underground prison immediately. This proved just how dangerous the trials were. Besides, it was apparent from Erin that even if the dragon soul heir didn't fully grasp the dragon soul powers, she was still powerful enough. But in this case, there were still instances of heirs who failed the trials...

"In short, be more careful."

Rhode knew that Erin was a meticulous person, so he didn't speak any more. He patted her shoulder, and the latter smiled at his warnings. Then, she nodded, turned around, and followed the two dragon young ladies to the other end of the corridor. Rhode gazed as she departed, until she vanished past the stone door. He shifted his gaze away and let out a helpless sigh. Honestly, he wasn't willing for Erin to take this risk, especially under the current circumstances. But now, he had no other choice.

"Big Brother?"

At that moment, Icy Snow's voice sounded in his ears. He lowered his head and saw Icy Snow looking worriedly at him.

"Are you alright? You don't seem too happy..."

"I'm just feeling a little nervous, Little Icy."

Upon hearing her concerns, Rhode stretched his hand out and stroked the little fellow's hair with a smile. Icy Snow witnessed his smile and didn't continue speaking. She was a sensible young lady who never bothered others. Since Rhode had no intention of speaking further, she wouldn't bother him with too many questions. But shortly after, she knitted her brows and asked gently.

"Big Brother... I want to ask you about something."

"What's the matter?"

At that moment, Rhode had already let the weight off his mind. No matter the results, they couldn't intervene anyway. So it was also meaningless for him to be too worried about Erin. As the saying 'do one's level best and leave the rest to God's will' went, it was up to Erin's hard work and luck now. Rhode turned and gazed at Icy Snow curiously. Upon sensing his gaze, the young lady blushed and looked at the ground, pinching the edges of her clothes. After a few moments, she asked timidly.

"... Big Brother, earlier when Miss Erin said she would be joining Bubble and the rest... What is it about? I asked Bubble, but she said..." Icy Snow turned and glared furiously at Bubble. "... I'm still young and wouldn't understand! Darn it, she's clearly the same age as me. Big Brother, do you know what she meant?"

"About that..."

Rhode felt his head aching. Of course, he knew why Erin said those words to Bubble and Anne, but Icy Snow definitely wouldn't understand. Even though she had a close relationship with him, he was always like a big brother to her. She was also unaware of his relationship with Canary. Just how should he explain it to her...

While Rhode racked his brains over how he should explain the 'complicated' relationship to Icy Snow, Erin followed the two dragon young ladies to an empty, circular room. This room seemed to be constructed entirely from yellow metal. In the middle of the room, there was a hexagonal ritual. As a princess who was passionate about archeology, Erin recognized the engraved runes as old spirit and dragon texts. It was apparent that this magical ritual was ancient, and likely to be a product of the Country of Darkness's early days.

I never expected a secret like this to exist in the underground...

At this thought, Erin arranged her thoughts and looked at the two dragon young ladies. Upon detecting her gaze, they nodded at her.

"Alright, let's begin the trial, dragon soul heir. Please bear in mind that you have to pass 12 trials and gain the promise of darkness in order to inherit the Dark Dragon's power. According to the rules, you'll have three chances to seek assistance. If you can't handle the situation, you can summon us three times. Please be reminded that if you fail to pass the trials after summoning us three times, you shall be sent into the dragon prison."

"Got it."

Facing their words, Erin nodded in response. She extended her arm and held the pitch-black hilt on her waist with her hand, her eyes glinting in flashes of determination. The moon princess took large strides into the center of the ritual, turned around to look at the two dragon young ladies, and spoke.

"I'm ready. Let's start."

After receiving her confirmation, the two dragon young ladies nodded and exchanged looks with each other. At the next moment, they raised their arms. Along with this action, two metallic spears flickering in dazzling brilliance appeared in their hands. An enormous and gorgeous ritual emanated before Erin's eyes. The power of darkness surged, shimmered, and transformed into elegant patterns, wrapping her around entirely. Erin stared at the pitch-black energy vigilantly. She sensed the strong force within it. Not only that, but she also vaguely sensed the presence of a mighty dragon's prestige. It was so powerful that not even her big brother could compete with it.

Could this be the true power of the Dark Dragon?

At this thought, Erin couldn't help but put up a solemn look on her face. She felt her big brother's dragon's prestige in the past, but it wasn't as profound as this. This dragon's prestige felt so dignified that it shook her heart. It was as though she were standing on the edge of a cliff, gazing at the boundless darkness below her, which brought shock and awe upon her. But now, she had to face this very power. If it belonged to her, perhaps everything would have ended by now.

Big Brother...

At the thought of Ion, Erin let out an inward sigh.

Is this power the reason why you were that ruthless to Mother? Even you can't resist the temptation of this power? No... Maybe it's, in fact, that you're baffled by this power. But now, I'm the one standing right here.

Why...?

Erin shook her head. It wasn't that Erin didn't understand why Ion did it, but she clearly knew the reason instead. As the younger sister, although she never thought of seizing power, as a matter of fact she was far more outstanding than her big brother in every aspect. Perhaps Ion was only capable than her in terms of battles, but back then, Erin didn't give it too much thought. She only hoped to learn as much as she could, so she could offer help after her big brother succeeded as the Dark Dragon.

But she didn't expect that after Ion became the Dark Dragon, he stopped her from participating in every affair of the Country of Darkness, which disappointed her greatly. However, that was only disappointment, after all. Considering her love toward her big brother and their relationship, Erin eventually accepted his request to hide deep inside the moon castle, appreciating antique arts to pass time. As a matter of fact, she was also perplexed. She didn't know what exactly she should do with her life. She kept reminiscing the moments when her big brother gazed at her with a subtle smile and said a lazy expression: "I just can't handle these things that use my brain. In future, I want to rule the Country of Darkness. I will leave these troublesome matters to you, okay, Younger Sister?"

Back then, the young, innocent Erin nodded with might and excitement. She thought as long as she tried harder and harder, she could stand beside her big brother and help fulfill his wish.

But even so...

Now isn't the time for this!

Erin held back the sadness in her heart. She unsheathed the sword and at the same time, a dense fog of darkness erupted. Her vision was enfolded by endless darkness...

Chapter 1245: 12 Trials (2)

When Erin opened her eyes again, the entirely different scenery stunned her. At that moment, it was no longer the circular room, but a vast, pitch-black land instead. The sky was also incomparably dark. At a glance, the entire world seemed to only be dyed in two colors; black and white. The winds gliding across the surface brought along slight pain. But before Erin reacted to where exactly she was, the calm shadows ahead suddenly warped. Seconds later, along with deep roars that echoed, mysterious creatures emerged one after another. They had strange appearances, swaying constantly like shadows and snapping their huge jaws open to reveal terrifying glows from their razor-sharp teeth…

"Seems like you guys are my enemies."

Erin smiled and squinted, holding the sword before her. At the next moment, the shadowy creatures howled and pounced on her like a violent wave. Hundreds of thousands and layers upon layers of shadowy creatures leaped toward the slender and fragile young lady. No matter who witnessed this scene, perhaps they would think that the young lady would be devoured at the next second.

But the truth was otherwise.

The shadowy creatures dashing from all directions were wild and aggressive—a few seconds ago. The instant they launched their attacks on Erin, she wouldn't have been able to stop them even if she had three heads and six arms. But in that instant, along with Erin's action, everything changed.

Facing the shadowy creatures, the moon princess didn't even glance at them. She stared at the blade in her hand that was emanating a brilliance that was as bright and glistening as the full moon. She rotated her wrist and at the next moment, a circular halo expanded with her in the middle. The halo didn't seem to have any aggression at all. But despite that, the shadowy creatures wailed and were shredded into bits by the halo instantly. Before they struggled, they were like thick apple skins being peeled from the flesh. The halo dazzled, dismantling the shadowy creatures into worthless remains in an instant. Fragments of their bodies drifted in the air, before disappearing into nothingness like melted snowflakes.

However, the snowflakes were purely black in color.

After wiping out the enemies in one single attack, Erin didn't continue her offense immediately. On the contrary, she scanned her surroundings and sprinted toward a tower in the distance. Since the tower was the only building on the vast, empty plains, it was apparent that it was the venue for her trial.

Even though Erin displayed mighty strength, Rhode and the rest who observed her battle through the magical crystal revealed depressing expressions. As the host of the ceremony, Rhode held the rights to observe the process of the ceremony. As for the rest, even though the dragon young ladies weren't willing for them to intervene, they eventually let them be after Rhode strongly requested. Due to that reason, everyone was able to watch the progress of Erin's inheritance ceremony. Of course, this also let Rhode heave a sigh of relief. At least he was able to divert someone's attention, so she wouldn't keep pestering him with those awkward questions.

But now, Rhode didn't feel relieved after witnessing Erin's environment.

Perhaps Erin wasn't aware of where she was right now, but to a player like Rhode who roamed the continent like it was his own home, he recognized her whereabouts immediately.

Shadow Ravine of the Seven Fantasy Boundaries.

Just this name alone was enough to make Rhode, Mini Bubble Gum, and the rest feel tricky.

There were always flaws and bugs no matter how popular a game was. Dragon Soul Continent was no exception. In the continent, the most annoying dungeon was neither the bloody battlefields of hell, nor the uncomfortable underground world, nor the abyss that was filled with crawling insects. In the leaderboard of the official forum, Shadow Ravine took the number one spot for the map that players 'hated visiting the most'. From the day it was discovered by players to after Rhode defeated the Void Dragon, its ranking had never changed.

The most disgusting part about Shadow Ravine wasn't the benefits it offered. As a matter of fact, the benefits in Shadow Ravine were considered rich and generous. As an extension of the shadow plain of existence, Shadow Ravine was considered one of the most historical places in the Dragon Soul Continent. Besides, due to the special characteristics of 'Light and Shadow', players were able to find equipment with great attributes. Not only that, but 'copies' of some equipment that were destroyed on the main plain could also be found in the shadow plain of existence. Not only did these shadow equipment possess the strength of the original equipment, but they also came attached with unique, shadow attributes. Therefore, if a party were to kill the BOSS in Shadow Ravine, several godlike equipment would drop. It was basically a profit-making business that wouldn't lose money. Besides, it was easy to take down shadow attributes. As long as there were more priests and equipment of the light attribute, the BOSSes would be easily crushed.

If there were anything bad about the shadow plain of existence, it would be its huge map. Some people believed that the map of Shadow Ravine was twice the size of the Dragon Soul Continent, which was why BOSSes were tough to find. It was basically impossible for a party to kill a BOSS in Shadow Ravine without spending at least half a month (of actual time). Apart from that, the colors of Shadow Ravine were really dull.

Repeat it once more—the colors of Shadow Ravine were really dull.

Repeat it one last time—the colors of Shadow Ravine were really dull.

And that was where all the players' objections came from.

There were no colors in Shadow Ravine, where everything was divided into black and white. That was why the moment players entered Shadow Ravine, they were as though they were looking at a monochrome television from the Middle Ages. In the beginning, some players thought it was refreshing. But shortly after, they got sick of it.

That's right. The most beautiful thing about life was its vibrancy. On the other hand, Shadow Ravine was a world of black and white. Moreover, it was so huge that an average party needed to spend more than half to one month to complete their exploration. As a result, many players were sick of looking at this monochrome world. Some members even quit the party after they couldn't handle its dullness. As for those who successfully explored the area, they became dispirited and listless as though they lost their souls. Even after heading out of that place, they needed to rest for quite some time before returning to their senses.

In other words, the most annoying part of Shadow Ravine was that it would leave mental scars on players. Besides, the damage was also irreversible. In the early stages of the Shadow Ravine's release, many players went to the forum and expressed that they finally understood how beautiful life was after opening up the Shadow Ravine. They also expressed their passion and respect for life. Some had even posted specifically to state that they regretted wasting their life and would rather enjoy their current life if the afterlife turned out to be like Shadow Ravine…

Judging from this point, Shadow Ravine actually did something great for mankind.

"I wonder if Her Highness Erin can handle it."

Rhode murmured. Mini Bubble Gum glanced at the image and turned around hurriedly. Back then, Rhode's party also took a huge impact when they first explored Shadow Ravine. Even though everyone gnashed their teeth and held on to the honor of being the number one guild, after Rhode witnessed many younger players among them fail to handle the pressure, he decisively called off the mission. Shadow Ravine was one of the few maps that Starlight had failed to overcome. But Rhode wasn't embarrassed by it because almost none of the guilds were able to get the better of Shadow Ravine. Rhode knew that some guilds spent money to hire people to lead a party into Shadow Ravine for one and a half months in order to overtake Starlight. But in the end, the party crumbled to the monochrome world before they managed to slaughter the BOSS. The last news Rhode heard of them was from the forum, where two-thirds of the party members went to visit psychiatrists. Meanwhile, the party leader deleted his account directly.

Due to that reason, the instant Mini Bubble Gum and Icy Snow witnessed Shadow Ravine, they revealed a look of annoyance and turned away from the magical crystal. Even Rhode couldn't help but feel irritated. The look of that monochrome world made him sick.

Judging from this point, Rhode could also be considered one of the victims who were mentally scarred.

"Yea, Leader. This map is too disgusting. I also wonder if Her Highness Erin can handle it…"

Bubble curled her lips and said. It wasn't surprising that she was concerned as Erin and Lydia had similar personalities. They both loved beautiful things. On the contrary, an environment that was as dull as Shadow Ravine was simply a murder weapon against them. Perhaps Erin hadn't responded to it yet, but it would be too late as soon as she realized it.

"That isn't the only issue, Bubble."

Rhode couldn't help but shake his head.

"That is the shadow plane of existence. Even though Erin is dependent on darkness, her attribute is the rare 'moon', which means that in the shadow plane of existence without moonlight, her strength cannot reach its peak."

"That sounds terrible, huh?"

Anne was astonished. She nodded with might but shortly after, cocked her head to the side and knitted her brows.

"But why didn't Erin turn into a dragon? She should be heading toward the tower now, right? Wouldn't she reach the tower quicker if she became a dragon?"

Facing Anne's question, Rhode didn't answer immediately. He scanned Erin, who continued to sprint ahead and puckered his brows.

"I think it isn't that Erin doesn't want to transform into a dragon. She just can't," Rhode said.

Chapter 1246: 12 Trials (2)

Just as Rhode expected.

As a matter of fact, the instant Erin stepped onto this mysterious land, she instinctively tried to return to her usual form. After all, this place felt too strange for her. For safety's sake, she believed that transforming to her dragon form would ensure her safety. But shortly after, she discovered an unknown force imprisoning her body, stopping her from transforming. Not only that, but she also realized that her strength was diminished drastically. Just as Rhode predicted, even though Erin was a dependent of darkness, her rule was the rare 'moon'. Although the moon was a source of light in the darkness, the moon didn't exist in this world of shadow. In other words, this environment was the most disadvantageous for her, where she wouldn't face such challenges even on Earth. But here, she had no choice but to face the dilemma of losing the moon's support.

The endless flow of shadowy creatures hurled their attacks from all directions. As half-elemental creatures, they were already tough to defeat, not to mention Erin had trespassed into their nest and was attempting to annihilate them, which became even tougher. Not only that, but she found out that these shadowy creatures were also starting to devour her strength!

Erin could only blame herself for being unlucky as a dependent of darkness. Shadow and darkness were inseparable. Due to that reason, the source of her power could be said to be similar to these shadowy creatures. She realized that even though she repelled the shadowy creatures, they became much stronger in their comeback.

"This won't work, Leader."

The group watched Erin's predicament through the magical crystal. Mini Bubble Gum knitted her brows and said with some concerns. At that moment, even though Erin faced the ambushes skillfully, Rhode, Icy Snow, and Mini Bubble Gum knew that in Shadow Ravine, combat force wasn't the most crucial. There were special rules in Shadow Ravine, but judging from Erin's retaliation, it was apparent that she hadn't realized it. If she continued this way, perhaps she would end up horribly, like the players who tried to open up Shadow Ravine, not to mention completing the trial!

Although Rhode wished to give her some hints or advice, it was a pity that they weren't spiritually connected. Besides, since the other party was able to shackle Erin's dragon form, it also meant that in order to prevent cheating, there must surely be a barrier to stop others from communicating with her during the trial. That was why all Rhode could do was to sit and observe, waiting for her to discover the rules of Shadow Ravine.

In the eyes of ordinary people, there was no reality in Shadow Ravine. No matter what one witnessed, they were all illusions, surreal, and out of this world. The same went for these shadowy creatures. It was tough to deal damage to them and they were also challenging to eradicate.

But in the eyes of players, there was only one thing in Shadow Ravine that was real.

And apart from that, there was nothing else.

"..."

Erin let out a sigh. She finally wiped out a wave of shadowy creatures and now, she realized that something was strange about this place. She highly doubted that she eradicated all the shadowy creatures because during the battle, she swept glances at several of them who were crushed by her. And now, they made a comeback as though nothing changed. It was apparent that the enemies in this space were tough to kill. Besides, considering that since this was a trial, it should be expected that she couldn't rely upon brute force to trample her way through...

What exactly in this world do I need to look out for?

"Hmm?"

At this thought, her heart sank. A few seconds ago, she lifted her head instinctively to glance at the tower in the distance. But to her surprise, she had walked for so long and yet, the distance didn't seem to shorten at all. There was obviously something bizarre going on! Even though Erin's strength was restrained so she couldn't fly in her dragon form, she had sprinted her way toward the tower. Although she was in human form, her speed was absolutely quick. According to her, she would have at least covered half the distance already. But now, the tower didn't seem to be any closer to her as it continued to stand tall on the far horizon!

Something is fishy!

Erin came to a halt suddenly, staring at her surroundings in alertness. For this to happen, either she was struck by an illusion spell, or she made a wrong move. But no matter which was it, the current situation was disadvantageous to her. She hoped to arrive at the tower as soon as possible before continuing with her mission. But she didn't expect to fall into a trap so soon.

"This trial sure is troublesome."

Unlike Erin, Rhode recognized the problem with one glance. This was the experience of players. Every player had to complete trials repeatedly, until they were sick of them. They had to pass trials in order to advance in class and rank and activate hidden missions. Players criticized the game for requiring the passing of trials and tests repeatedly, when they only graduated from high school or college in real life. In the end, the amount of tests and trials in the game were more than in reality!

Due to that reason, almost every top player had extraordinary experience with trials and tests. But it was a pity that Erin didn't. Rhode couldn't help but feel concerned upon witnessing Erin coming to a halt and scanning the place with knitted brows. He exchanged looks with Mini Bubble Gum and Icy Snow. They spotted the glints of worries in one another's eyes. Perhaps Anne, Angelina, and Cassidy weren't aware of this profound mystery, but the trio who were top players who had completed all sorts of trials in Dragon Soul Continent, they instantly recognized that Erin had fallen into a trap!

They had to admit that this so-called Dark Dragon's trial was indeed demanding. Firstly, the map was Shadow Ravine. Second, the Dark Dragon's heir had to be a dependent of darkness, which led to the heir having the same attribute as the map, so killing her way through was simply impossible. Moreover, Erin's luck was also horrible. She held the one and only 'light attribute' rule among all the darkness ones. She was under so much pressure that she couldn't even lift her head proudly in Shadow Ravine.

Besides, Rhode was also aware that Erin had three chances to request for help from the dragon young ladies. Although the three chances seemed like useful opportunities, players clearly knew that it was a trap! If Erin were to call for help, she would be putting herself to death! This trial wasn't like any ordinary advancement trials, but it involved the inheritance of the dragon soul, which was definitely several times tougher!

Moreover, Erin was also pressed for time because the dragon young ladies wouldn't be waiting for her. According to them, they needed 36 hours at most. If they were able to dismantle the dragon imprisonment ritual and stop the Dark Dragon's power from being drained, it would mean that Erin's mother would be killed instantly. If Erin wanted to save her mother, she would need to pass the trial in 36 hours.

In an absolutely disgusting and endless map that also suppressed her strength, Erin had to find clues within 36 hours to pass the trial... Moreover. she was also a newbie to this trial... Rhode just couldn't see how this moon princess could succeed.

But what made Rhode relieved was that even though Erin wasted almost half an hour, she appeared to be calm and didn't begin to be impatient over wasting time. If not, Rhode would perhaps force the two dragon young ladies to pull Erin out of the trial.

It went without saying that Erin knew the current situation wasn't favorable for her. Despite that, she remained extremely calm because she knew that her mother's life was at risk. That was why she calmed herself down and sized up everything cautiously. Shadow Ravine... This name also emerged in her head. After all, she seldom left home, but had read countless books. This world was enveloped in darkness everywhere and was also the territory of shadowy creatures. At that moment, Erin naturally came up with a thought.

Shadow Ravine... Shadow Ravine...

At this thought, Erin's eyes glinted!

At the next moment, she raised her right arm abruptly. A dazzling brilliance erupted from her palm, extending in all directions.

"Gaaaa——!"

As the moonlight emerged, the darkness shrouding over the land faded away like melted snow. This attack from Erin also agitated the shadowy creatures as they swarmed her yet again. But this time, she didn't counterattack. On the contrary, the moment the brilliance exploded, she swept a glance to the side. Then, she twitched her brow!

She spotted an extraordinarily eye-catching and long shadow across the land illuminated, by the splendid moonlight. At a glance, one would think that it was the shadow of the tower. But Erin instantly realized that the shadow wasn't as simple as imagined!

Now's the chance!

The instant she noticed the shadow, she unsheathed her sword without hesitation. In blinding, flickering blade lights, the shadowy creatures crowding her were struck away. Shortly after, she transformed into a bolt of lightning that zoomed toward the long shadow on the ground. The moment she neared, she extended her palm and held her ground.

At the next moment, heaven and earth reversed.

The vast land disappeared in the blink of an eye, while the extended shadow became a tall tower that rose to the sky. Innumerable shadowy creatures screeched as they fell from the sky, before vanishing in the pitch-black sea of fog underneath.

"Phew..."

Erin heaved a sigh of relief. She flipped over abruptly and stood at the top of the tower.

At that moment, a sentence in dragon text appeared before her eyes.

"The first trial is about to begin."

Chapter 1247: First Stage

"What the—!"

Erin wasn't the one who had a huge reaction. On the contrary, it was Rhode and Mini Bubble Gum who shouted curses. The Dark Dragon's inheritance ceremony was indeed despicable. From the start, Rhode, Mini Bubble Gum, and Icy Snow thought that finding the correct location of the tower was part of the trial. After all, the dragon young ladies didn't give a single hint to Erin and threw her straight into Shadow Ravine. In this situation, it wasn't easy for Erin to find the exact location so quickly. Rhode believed that if a player were to be in her place, perhaps the player might need to spend anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days.

In the end, after struggling and finally finding the place, it wasn't considered part of the trial? Fortunately, this trial wasn't for Rhode, if not, he would have flipped the table already. But even so, he and Bubble cursed the ceremony, while Icy Snow who disliked berating others also knitted her brows. Only players like them who experienced similar tests knew how ridiculous and shameless such trials were. It was especially so for players to achieve the final stage of 'Supreme Privilege'. A player like Canary with double talents was outstanding. Even though double elements were a hassle, they were focused, at the very least. On the other hand, it was horrible to achieve 'Supreme Privileges' for Icy Snow's 'space' talent. Rhode remembered that Icy Snow had spent an entire week to safely pass the test. Just how torturous was that...

But now, compared to Erin's trial, Rhode and the players felt like their tests were too simple. In any case, they had system prompts to provide them with hints, unlike Erin, who had to search for half a day, finally found the place, only to be notified that it was just the start... How insane was that!

However, Erin wasn't as agitated as Rhode and Bubble. She gazed at the line of text and continued sauntering forward without stopping. As she progressed, the closed tower door opened gradually, revealing eerie, purple flames that flickered in the path and bringing a touch of color to the monochrome world.

"..."

Upon witnessing the purple brilliance, Erin heaved a sigh of relief. Just as Rhode had predicted, Erin was born favorable to the sense of beauty in arts. But compared with Lydia's extravagance, Erin was more introverted and reserved. However, their pursuit of beauty was the same. Due to that reason, it was imaginable how pressurizing this monochrome world was to her mental health. This was also why her reactions became a little slower. For a person who loved beauty to come to this dull world was as though abandoning a germaphobe in a filthy environment—it would truly cause one's death.

The sight of beautiful purple soothed Erin's restless soul. She took in a deep breath and strode into the stone door in firm, decisive steps.

"What kind of trial is this, Leader?"

Anne asked with puckered brows, starting at the scenery on the magical crystal.

"Could it be that Her Highness Erin has to walk all the way from the top of the tower to the bottom? In that case, why didn't Her Highness Erin jump straight down the outside from the start?"

"I don't think it will work... This trial is so despicable. I doubt Her Highness Erin will risk doing it."

Mini Bubble Gum expressed her disapproval. Right now, the young ladies were observing Erin as though they had returned to Earth and were watching the newcomer's strategy video. Facing Anne's comments, Bubble shook her head as one who had been around the block.

"Besides, such trials are rigid, Anne. You may or may not know, but they are horrible. Sometimes, you must even choose which leg to take the first step. If you shoot out the wrong foot, your trial may be judged as a failure. I tell you, such trials are made to disgust people!"

"Oh? They are that annoying?"

What the overactive Anne hated the most was following the rules. Judging from the point that she suggested Erin to jump down from the top of the tower, it was apparent that she couldn't care less about the procedure. But upon hearing Bubble's reply, Anne knitted her brows instantly and displayed a bitter look. Meanwhile, Bubble nodded with empathy. These two young ladies seemed to be speaking a common language in this respect...

However, Icy Snow frowned, extended her arm, and tugged Rhode's sleeve gently.

"Big Brother, something isn't right."

"Yes, I realized it too."

Upon hearing Icy Snow's remarks, Rhode nodded in agreement because the current situation didn't seem normal. After Erin entered the tower, she faced ambushes from the shadowy creatures again. Even though the shadowy creatures weren't worthy of a mention in her eyes, Rhode and Icy Snow who were outside of the picture sharply discovered an abnormality.

Their unusually-high spawn rate.

Erin was also attacked by shadowy creatures outside the tower. However, the number of times the shadowy creatures that attacked were considered in a normal range. But now, inside the tower, the attacks she received could be described as insane. In just a dozen seconds, a new wave of shadowy creatures were spawned. Even though Erin could instantly kill them, the abnormal spawn rate of these shadowy creatures weren't normal at all.

"Erin is too strong, so much so that she can't see the situation before her."

Rhode analyzed, his face stiffening. He vaguely guessed what this first stage of trial was about. However, he had to admit that this inheritance ceremony was indeed insidious and shameless in its endless schemes. Only players knew that there were some other methods to resolve the issue of the unusually-high spawn rates. For instance, even though Rhode's party crushed their way through the liches' dungeon in the game using brute force, they still didn't attain 100 percent completion. That was because they didn't fulfill the dungeon requirements. But now, Erin lacked the support of the moon and couldn't transform into her dragon form. It was impossible for her to use her best abilities to shatter all the evil conspiracies. Right now, Erin might be able to hang on for 10 minutes, half an hour, one hour, or even longer. But what was the purpose behind it?

Moon princess, please don't ever forget about your original intention...

Something is wrong.

Erin strode forward and took another step down the stairs. At the same time, she slashed an arc of the moon with her blade and the surrounding shadowy creatures that pounced on her screeched, before vanishing to nowhere. However, Erin didn't reveal any joy or satisfaction on her face. On the contrary, she put up a grim look. It was apparent that she also realized that something wasn't right. This was the first trial. But based on the current situation, the shadowy creatures didn't threaten her at all, albeit their high numbers being somewhat annoying.

This is my first test, so what exactly am I going to encounter?

At this thought, Erin's heart skipped a beat. Could it be...

"The ability to control matters of darkness is the first hurdle Erin has to overcome."

Rhode explained confidently to the rest.

"Don't forget. This trial is ultimately for one to inherit the Dark Dragon's soul, while the rule of darkness on Dragon Soul Continent is unsurpassed. The source of power of Shadow Ravine comes from darkness itself, so as a dragon soul heir, one must master the power of darkness, and there are no two ways about it. The shadowy creatures indeed don't cause any harm to Erin, but why must she wipe them out? They are inhabitants of darkness who are born and destroyed in darkness. If the dragon soul heir can't control the creatures that are created with the Dark Dragon's power, how can the heir even control the power of darkness?"

"Wow, I didn't realize that!"

Angelina nodded with might. She was a noble vampire in the Country of Darkness, so she naturally understood what Rhode meant. But shortly after, Angelina knitted her brows and asked worriedly.

"But... Her Highness Erin should be fine, right?"

"I think..."

Rhode said, turning to the scenery in the magical crystal and the corners of his mouth lifted.

"... She will be fine."

"Aowu...!"

Along with a mournful wail, all sorts of distorted and strange creatures emerged from the shadows of darkness. They twisted their bloated bodies and revealed razor-sharp claws at the young lady before them. In a few seconds, they would pounce on her and shred their prey into bits.

But this time, Erin didn't raise her sword. She stood silently on the spot, extended her right arm, and observed the creatures.

"Stay back."

The young lady's melodious voice resounded in the gloomy corridor. Her voice was so soft, gentle, and plain as though she were narrating a story. But all of a sudden, the snarls and growls softened gradually. The shadowy creatures curled up their bodies and stared blankly at the young lady. For some unknown reason, they felt a mighty power forcing them back, extinguishing their burning instinct and desire to devour their prey and making them obey the command docilely.

"..."

In a string of deep growls that diminished gradually, the shadowy creatures vanished into the shadows. Up until that moment, the gloomy corridor lit up suddenly. The endless flight of steps went missing in sight, only to be replaced by a heavy, exquisite wooden door.

Upon witnessing the wooden door, Erin revealed a smile.

Seems like I succeeded.