A Fire That Burns Everything And Anything

After Semiath guided them, Scarlett eventually made her way to the village entrance, where the welcoming banner fluttered. There, she found a charming scene unfolding that drew a bemused sigh from her. Jenessa was playfully squeezing the cheeks of a slightly bewildered Evadne, while Kaelan and Vermillion were affectionately patting Cryptus on the head.

Despite his initial bravado, pointing his sword when they first approached, Cryptus was just a child—barely two and a half years old. His instincts to act tough melted away under the gentle touches of the visitors. His small skeletal face broke into a delighted grin, unable to resist the enjoyment of being doted on.

Observing this light-hearted interaction between her villagers and the newcomers, Scarlett couldn't help but mutter to herself with a mix of amusement and slight exasperation, "There's no doubt about it, they're all idiots." Her words were soft, half-hearted really, as she shook her head, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth despite her words.

Scarlett stepped forward authoritatively, her voice cutting through the playful atmosphere like a sharp blade. "Stop... Stop... playtime is over."

Her commanding presence immediately changed the mood. Cryptus and Evadne quickly freed themselves from the playful grips of the visitors and bowed deeply to Scarlett in respect.

Jenessa, Vermillion, and Kaelan promptly lined up, facing her. The sight of Scarlett, with her seductive face and revealing attire, caught them off guard, prompting them to blush profusely. Scarlett noticed their reactions but chose to ignore it, Since it seeing this kind of expression is now a daily thing to her.

"I'm Scarlett Nova, the ruler of this village," she announced firmly. "Let's cut to the chase and tell me why you're here," she demanded, her tone leaving no room for detours.

It was immediately clear to the trio that Scarlett was no ordinary demon or monster. It was evident that monsters only followed the strong, and there was no doubt that she was the strongest in the village. The construction around them spoke of her intelligence and ambition, while her muscular physique and the blindfold—which would render a high-ranking magician completely blind—suggested her unparalleled strength. She wore it casually, as if it were a mere accessory, further impressing upon them her formidable capabilities.

Without hesitation, they shared their story. They revealed that they were B+ rank adventurers on a mission to hunt hounds but had not anticipated encountering ones as colossal and powerful as the twins they had fled from. The twin hounds, they explained, were two and a half times the size of ordinary hounds, with strengths unmatched by any of their kind. They concluded by recounting how they had barely managed to escape with their lives.

"Twin-hounds, huh?" Scarlett mused, her brow furrowing slightly as she recalled Elder Semiath mentioning something similar. Just as she was about to extend an invitation to the trio to stay in her village, a sudden commotion interrupted her thoughts.

A group of villagers, part of the hunting team, came sprinting toward her. Their faces were stricken with terror, and they struggled to maintain their balance as they ran. Despite their stumbling, their desperate urgency didn't let them stop. They finally reached Scarlett, panting heavily, gasping for breath as they tried to deliver their urgent message.

"Hiff... huff... Scarlett-sama... Scarlett-sama," one of the hunters stammered, his voice shaky with fear, "the... the hounds, they are only about 2-3 hundred meters away from the village!"

The fear from the hunter's voice was contagious, and it quickly reflected on the faces of Jenessa, Vermillion, and Kaelan. Scarlett noted the terror in their eyes and immediately understood the gravity of the situation: these adventurers hadn't truly escaped the hounds; they had only managed a temporary reprieve.

Scarlett exhaled a deep, heavy sigh and spoke with a casual confidence that contrasted sharply with the palpable tension in the air. "That's it? Why is everyone so worked up? Let's just head to where the hounds are. I'll get rid of them."

Her words were met with a chorus of surprised expressions. While everyone present had witnessed Scarlett's capabilities in the past, the sheer terror that the hounds had instilled in their hearts was still very much alive. Doubt flickered across their faces, their emotions caught in a tug-of-war between trust in Scarlett's abilities and the lingering fear of the hounds.

"Show me the way," Scarlett commanded crisply. Then, turning to Jenessa, Vermillion, and Kaelan, she added with cool indifference, "And you three are coming with me!"

Their faces fell, and a fearful expression took hold as they responded in trembling voices, "W-why us?"

"Don't worry, I just want to show off!" Scarlett reassured them with a half-smirk, trying to lighten the mood with a bit of humor.

Reluctantly accepting that it was Scarlett's decision—and that no one really had the authority or courage to challenge it—the villagers, still trembling, agreed to lead the way. Cryptus, the little skeleton child, tagged along, his curiosity piqued. Elder Semiath, however, took Evadne back inside the village, deeming the situation too dangerous for such a young child.

As they set off towards the looming threat, the mixture of fear and awe for Scarlett's brazen attitude rippled through the group, each person grappling with their own anxiety and the hope that Scarlett's confidence was not misplaced.

As they trudged through the forest, the uneasy silence was suddenly shattered by the thunderous pounding of footsteps. It was clear that the twin hounds were closing in.

Indeed, it wasn't long before Scarlett's group and the twin hounds came face to face. The hounds paused, taken aback by the unexpected assembly of humans in their path. Recognizing the three adventurers, their faces twisted into malicious grins. "We meet again, humans. I'll make you pay for fooling us!" Red hound growled menacingly.

Everyone except for Scarlett and Cryptus instinctively began to retreat. Taking cautious steps backward, their eyes were glued to Scarlett, who remained rooted to the spot, utterly motionless as if she hadn't heard a thing, her face blank.

But then, in a startling turn of events, Scarlett suddenly charged forward with a burst of energy, arms spread wide and a beaming smile plastered across her face. "What a cute dog!" she shouted joyfully, her voice echoing through the forest.

The onlookers' jaws dropped, their previous terror momentarily forgotten in their astonishment at Scarlett's reaction. Undeterred by the size or the ferocity of the twin hounds, she continued cheerfully, "Come here, let me pet you."

As Scarlett approached the twin hounds, they locked eyes with her, their expressions shifting to one of disbelief. Instinctively, they took a step back. The leader, the red hound, spat out in alarm, "A succubus? Shit! Did those succubi infiltrate this area too?"

Scarlett's sharp ears didn't miss the accusation, and though it irked her, she maintained her composure. She corrected them calmly, "I'm not a succubus, I'm a dragonoid!"

This revelation shocked the three adventurers. Jenessa blurted out in surprise, "You're not a Succubus? I thought you were a high-ranking Succubus!"

Vermillion added morosely, "Shit! I thought so too. I even fantasized about how you would devour me at night," and then he theatrically pretended to sob, adding a touch of humor to his dramatic confession.

Scarlett found their comments more aggravating than the hound's mistake.

The red hound, unconvinced and still aggressive, barked back, "You think you can fool me? Something like a dragonoid doesn't exist! I'm not going to become your slave like those idiotic monsters and demons. I've had enough of running from you, succubus!"

With a roar, he opened his mouth, and the air around him crackled as a spinning sound filled the area. He unleashed a massive beam of fire toward Scarlett, as wide as his own formidable size, about the width of two average humans.

The adventurers and villagers retreated in fear, scrambling away from the path of the fiery onslaught. But Scarlett stood her ground, unflinching and expressionless, facing the attack head-on. As the beam of fire neared, she swiftly conjured an invisible barrier in front of her. The fire engulfed the space around her, charring the trees and scorching the ground, yet Scarlett remained untouched. Not a single ember reached her; her clothes and skin were pristine, without a hint of damage from the flame.

As Scarlett effortlessly neutralized the towering inferno with her invisible barrier, everyone around her, witnessed her power with wide-eyed astonishment. The twin hounds, though less surprised given their expectations for her capabilities, couldn't hide a flicker of respect. The red hound, Sulfurion, spoke with a grudging admiration tinged with hostility, "I expected you to block that. Before I attempt to end you, out of respect for dodging my attack, I'll give you our names. Remember them well, for they will be the last you hear."

"My name is Sulfurion, and this is my brother, Doomthunder," he declared with a menacing glare.

Without waiting for a response, Sulfurion unleashed another fire beam, this one twice as formidable as the first. Yet, once again, Scarlett stood her ground, unmoving, her barrier holding strong against the searing onslaught. The attack did no damage, leaving her as pristine and unbothered as before. This time, though, irritation flickered across Scarlett's face. She held back her growing anger and retorted coolly, "Fire beam from the mouth? You know, I can do that too, even better than this."

Her words made the blue hound, Doomthunder, instinctively take a few steps back. Always the more cautious and observant of the two, he sensed the real threat Scarlett posed. He tried to warn his brother, "Brother, something is off. I think we should retreat."

However, Sulfurion, ever the berserker and slightly stronger than Doomthunder, dismissed the cautionary advice. It was as if he hadn't heard it at all, his battle-fueled pride blinding him to the potential danger they were in.

Sulfurion, growing increasingly aggressive, sucked in a deep breath, his chest swelling as he gathered an immense amount of air. Then, with all his might, he expelled a colossal fire breath, three times larger than the previous one, a roaring inferno that blazed toward Scarlett.

The onlookers were frozen, half in fear and half in awe, as they watched to see if Scarlett could effortlessly block this even more powerful attack, just as she had done before. They were stunned by her apparent ease at defending against such formidable assaults, yet unaware that she would continue to ward off every onslaught with the same indifference.

However, this time, Scarlett's patience was wearing thin. As the flames approached, she clenched her fists tightly and yelled, "Since you're cute and red is my favorite color, this is your last chance—"

But before she could finish, Sulfurion, relentless, launched another fire beam at her. True to form, Scarlett blocked it effortlessly, though her frustration was now palpable.

This time, Scarlett prepared to make her own move. Opening her mouth, the air around her seemed to shimmer with heat, a warning sign of the power she was about to unleash. An enormous aura of fire enveloped her, if we compare both Scarlett's and Sulfurion's fire beam, it will be like comparing a tennis ball to a basketball. The magnitude of Scarlett's fire beam was immense.

As the aftermath of Scarlett's powerful fire beam settled, only the charred bones of Sulfurion remained, some already reduced to ash under the intense heat. Meanwhile, Doomthunder, who had wisely positioned himself many steps away from his brother, survived unscathed.

Realizing the full extent of Scarlett's power and that his own life hung in the balance, Doomthunder didn't hesitate. He immediately sat down and bowed his head to the ground in a gesture of utmost respect and submission. Every instinct told him that his only choices were to obey Scarlett or face a fate similar to his brother's. With a calm resignation, he declared, "I accept defeat!"

Hearing his capitulation, Scarlett's expression softened. She approached the blue hound and gently hugged his head, her touch contrasting with the fierce display of power just moments before. Doomthunder's soft blue fur brushed against Scarlett's smooth skin as she murmured sympathetically, "Owww... if you had said it sooner, I wouldn't have had to do this."

The scene left everyone watching in a state of shock and disbelief. Jenessa voiced the group's bewilderment, her voice trembling as much from fear as from confusion, "How can she still be calm, after doing something like this?"

Scarlett's ability to switch from displaying such terrifying strength to showing gentleness baffled them, highlighting not only her formidable power but also her complex mentally unstable personality.

"I, Doomthunder, hereby give my utmost loyalty to you, my master!" he declared, bowing deeply before Scarlett.

Hearing his vow, Scarlett couldn't help but smile, a trace of pride flashing across her face, though she made him do this. Yet, as she listened, a sudden question surfaced in her mind, prompted by the previous conversation. "What was your brother talking about? Something about a succubus's slave?"

Doomthunder straightened up and explained, "An Twin succubus sisters are attempting to ascend to succubus queen status—a demon king level existence. They, along with hundreds of other succubi under their command, have drained countless males and have not spared females either. Now, they are using charm and seduction magic to build an army. They are attacking other monster and demon villages to collect souls, which will enable them to become succubus queens."

Scarlett pondered this for a moment, intrigued by the dynamics at play. "Twin hounds and now twin succubi? But only one can become the succubus queen, so how are they planning to do it?" She mused briefly but then shrugged off the concern. "I don't really care, as long as it's not my village," she exclaimed decisively.

Then, her tone turned stern, her gaze sweeping over those gathered as she added, "And yeah, I'm definitely not a succubus. I will definitely kill whoever calls me a succubus again." Her warning sent a chill down everyone's spine, reinforcing the serious line she drew between her identity and the manipulative nature of succubi. Her words, firm and cold, left no room for misunderstanding her stance on the matter.

As Scarlett considered the aftermath of her fiery encounter, a wave of guilt washed over her. She thought of Sulfurion, who had attacked her under the mistaken belief that she was a succubus. It was a grave misunderstanding, and now, even his brother Doomthunder had pledged loyalty to her. The situation left her feeling a responsibility to rectify the outcome in some way.

Approaching the charred remnants of Sulfurion, Scarlett surveyed the few bones that lay scattered on the ground. An idea sparked in her mind. She recalled a conversation with Avion, who had mentioned that even the weakest true dragon possessed the powerful ability to turn back time. If that was true, then theoretically, they could also resurrect the dead, right?

Though Scarlett was half human and half true dragon, she knew she possessed the capability to resurrect her villagers since they had given their souls to her. However, Sulfurion had not made such a pact, making the situation more complex. Nevertheless, moved by a newfound sense of duty and compassion, she decided to give it a try.

She knelt beside Sulfurion's remains, her expression one of deep concentration and solemnity. Closing her eyes, she reached out her hands, channeling her innate powers in an attempt to bridge life and death, unsure of the outcome but compelled to make amends for the unintended consequences of her actions.

As Scarlett knelt by the remains of Sulfurion, the group watched in confusion, uncertain of her intentions. Placing her hand on one of the charred bones, she closed her eyes and concentrated deeply. In her mind's eye, she envisioned a flame, not just any flame, but one with a yellow-green hue reminiscent of the mythical phoenix whose fire is said to heal injuries instantly.

With everyone's attention fixed on her, a stunning transformation occurred. Her blindfold, that was always suppresses her eyes, suddenly combusted into ashes, revealing her eyes which had turned a striking shade of purple colour.

From her hands, a vivid purple fire emerged, swirling around Sulfurion's remains. The sight caused everyone to gasp in disbelief. "Purple fire?" Vermillion uttered aloud, his voice a mix of awe and confusion.

The extraordinary moment was fleeting, it was just for an slip-second. Almost as quickly as they had changed, Scarlett's eyes reverted to their normal appearance—one crimson red and one vibrant blue. The purple fire, too, vanished, but not without consequence. Instead of resurrecting Sulfurion, the mystical flame had consumed what was left of his bones, leaving nothing but thin air, not even ashesh reamained.

Scarlett stood back, perplexed and a bit shaken by what had just transpired. This was the first time she had unleashed purple fire, an anomaly that had only previously appeared during a magic affinity test at the hero academy. She was left bewildered, trying to grasp the significance of these events and the unexpected failure of her attempt to bring Sulfurion back.

Feeling the absence of her blindfold, which had been reduced to ashes, and not wanting to draw any further attention, Scarlett cautiously closed her eyes. She stood up slowly, a puzzled frown creasing her forehead. Gently scratching her head, she murmured just above a whisper, "I guess, I messed up?"

Her tone carried a mix of disappointment and confusion; she believed that instead of resurrecting Sulfurion, she had somehow managed to completely obliterate what remained of his corporeal form. However, unbeknownst to her, the outcome of her actions was far more profound and chilling than she realized.

In her attempt, Scarlett had not merely failed to revive Sulfurion; she had inadvertently accomplished something both extraordinary and terrifying—she had annihilated a soul completely. In the realms of known magic and lore, a soul could be damaged, broken into pieces, or even consumed to bolster another's power. Souls, fundamentally, were balls of energy, enduring and ever-present, cycling through rebirth and reincarnation.

And yet, energy, as per the laws that governed their world, was not meant to be utterly/fully destroyed. Even the most powerful beings, like the true dragons, could not achieve such a feat. Only "The Creator," the mythical figure whispered to be the origin of all existence, was thought to wield such power. But here, Scarlett, perhaps unknowingly, had done the impossible—she had completely eradicated Sulfurion's soul, stopping the eternal cycle of his existence.

This act, the irreversible destruction of a soul, ensuring that not even "The Creator" could restore Sulfurion to life, was a dark milestone. Scarlett herself had not yet grasped the full gravity of what she had done.