Chapter 40: Wrath, Greed and Pride

I can't move!

…I'm chained again.

Again?

I don't like it.

…We don't like it.

Don't bow.

…The Dragon never bows!

Indeed

…All things must bow before 'US'.

Or BURN!.

…We need strength.

Chained, sealed.

…CURSED them!.

"…"

Aron slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a completely dark place. However, he didn't feel scared or uneasy. On the contrary, the place felt like home.

"Who are you?" a menacing dark voice echoed in the void.

"I don't know," Aron answered.

"WRONG!" the voice shouted, sending waves of energy that caused the whole place to tremble.

"Who are you?" the voice asked again.

Aron thought for a moment, then answered based on what his instinct told him.

"I'm Wrath."

"Indeed, nothing can escape our wrath." The voice distorted and momentarily sounded like Aron's.

"What's your Nature?" the voice asked again.

"Greed," Aron immediately replied.

"HAHAHAH~" A demonic laugh filled the dark void. "...Greed, yes. A fitting nature for the one who seeks treasures."

"How do you live?" the voice asked again

"With Pride," Aron's voice grew deeper and heavier.

ROAAAAR.

A mighty roar shook the place as a giant creature of shadow and flame appeared in front of Aron. Only two flaming eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth could be seen.

"We answer to no one. We bow to no one. Only those who are worthy can have our respect and attention. Our love and loyalty are reserved only for our treasures. We protect them with our 'life'."

Aron began to see some kind of chains all over the place. These chains also appeared around Aron's body and extended towards the Shadow and Flame creature, connecting the two like a bridge.

The voice spoke again: "Defend your land, protect your treasures, and burn those who get near. That is the way of the Dragon of Wrath, Greed, and Pride."

Aron displayed a smile that showed all of his teeth, and seeing his smile, the creature displayed the same smile. Then…

""HAHAHAHAHA~"" They laugh like maniacs.

Soon, a dark-red energy began to flow from the creature to Aron through the chains.

"This is all I can give you for now. Get strong, recover our memory, and break the chains," the creature said.

Aron nodded "Thank you."

"Pfft, HAHAHA~" the creature laughed again. "It's weird to receive thankfulness from yourself… But it's not bad."

"Indeed," Aron agreed.

The creature began to disappear, but before it completely vanished, it left Aron with a few last words

"Take care of those who are close to you and trust you; treat them well; and protect them. After all..."

The creature's voice echoed in the void as it vanished completely, "...We can't withstand another loss and betrayal."

With those final words, Aron felt his heart being pierced by a thousand daggers.

…

'Not good, something is coming!' Father Valarian thought. And with that thought, something unexpected happened.

Everyone heard the sound of chains moving as Aron opened his eyes.

"!!!" Valarian's body shivered as he felt Aron's gaze, unconsciously taking a step back.

Aron shifted his gaze to the worm, who was still kneeling under his foot. He was standing on one foot, while the other was poised above William's head.

Crack. Crack.

"..Eh?"

Cracks started appearing on the golden rings that held Aron, preventing him from moving, and his leg moved slightly.

"I-Impossible.... No, this is bad!" Despite wearing a blindfold, Father Valarian could see normally. The blindfold was a magical item that allowed him to see people's energy, especially Mana.

So when he saw Aron's dark-red Mana devouring his golden rings, he was shocked. Under normal circumstances, that shouldn't be possible. Even Dark magic, which is the opposite of light, cannot 'devour' light. They would only destroy each other since they are of opposite natures. And Father Valarian could clearly see that Aron's Mana wasn't of a Dark nature.

Crack. Crack.

More cracks appeared on the rings, and before Father Valarian could strengthen his magic, Aron broke free.

BAAAM!.

"N-No–"

He crushed William's head like a watermelon, leaving only a pool of blood in its place.

"Ahhh!... That was satisfying." Aron released a long breath as he gazed at the sky. Then he turned to face the two girls, who were looking at him with open mouths.

Aron waved his hand, and immediately his dark-red Mana burst from beneath him and headed towards the girls, devouring Valarian's golden magic. Then he turned to Valarian, who was paralyzed and kept shifting his gaze between Aron and the pool of blood beneath him

"What have you do-" he started boiling with anger.

"Silence!" Aron cut him off.

Valarian's eyebrow twitched.

'... No one dares to speak to me like this.'

Aron took a step toward him, and Father Valarian felt threatened by his approach. He began channeling his magic in secret, but on the outside, Valarian stood tall, holding himself with might and dominance, showing nothing on his face.

"You know?" Aron's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he unconsciously canceled his channeling.

"... It's very simple. That worm desires what's mine for himself, and that is a serious crime. The punishment is death."

Valarian raised his eyebrow when he heard Aron's words, who stopped a few feet away from him.

"Worm or not, he was a noble and had an important part to play... and you can't go around killing anyone who desires what you have."

"Do I look like I care about the worms?" Aron said it with a bored tone.

Then he displayed a predatory smile. "...And who said that I won't kill anyone who dares to touch my treasures? I'll cut them into pieces, tear them apart, and make them regret ever crossing my path. Anyone who threatens what is mine will fade from existence." Aron's voice dripped with malice as he stared directly into Father Valarian's eyes; he could see his eyes behind the blindfold.

Valarian's expression turned grim as he began to realize how dangerous the man in front of him was.

"Killing without reason only breeds more violence and destruction, but true strength lies in mercy and compassion."

Aron chuckled darkly. "Mercy and compassion are for the weak. In this world, only the strong survive, and I will do whatever it takes to protect what belongs to me."

"Now, Buddy, you have a choice to make," Aron continued, his voice filled with icy determination. "You can either step aside, or we fight right here and now. And I really, REALLY want to fight you. I can sense that you are a worthy opponent."

Father Valarian's eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. He was strong—no doubt about that—probably stronger than Aron. If this were a normal situation, Father Valarian would probably just capture Aron, and if he couldn't capture him, he would just kill him and be done with it. However, what made Valarian cautious and hesitant to act was Aron's Mana.

The act of devouring his light magic shook him to the core. The nature of Aron's Mana was unknown to Valarian, and that made him cautious and scared of him at the same time. He realized that he couldn't underestimate Aron.

Silence fell on the area as Valarian took a deep breath, his mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. He weighed his options carefully, considering the potential outcomes of each decision.

'Tsk…Boring'

Sensing his hesitation, Aron lost interest in fighting Valarian. His pressure and killing intent slowly disappeared as he turned to the two girls.

"Girls!"

"Y-Yes!" Pethra and Kasumi jumped like two scared cats when they heard his voice.

Aron flashed a warm smile. "Let's go. We have important things to buy."

"...Mm," They both nodded and quickly approached him, holding onto his arm like scared children who had just found their parents.

Aron took a few steps away from the scene, then stopped and turned to Father Valarian.

"Father, I can see that you're a good man, but I can also see that you're chained to something. So take this as friendly advice: break your chains and live your life. Do whatever you want, whenever you want, because if you don't, someone will eventually seize those chains and make you his slave."

Father Valarian stood still, his face stoic despite the tumultuous thoughts racing through his mind. Aron's words had struck a nerve for some reason.

'Chains and a good man... Huh?' Father Valarian took a deep breath and looked at the sky. 'For some reason, I can't deny his words.'

"A-Aron?" Pethra called cautiously as she was tightly grabbing onto Aron's arm.

"Hmm?...Yes?"

"Why did you say those words to that man?" she asked.

Aron thought for a moment. "I don't know," he answered honestly.

"Huh?"

"...Sometimes, words have a way of slipping out without us fully understanding why," he said, his tone contemplative. "I suppose in that moment, I saw something in him that resonated with me, maybe?"

"I see," she said, lost in her thoughts.

Aron turned to face Pethra, and with soft eyes and a gentle smile, he brought his face close to hers and kissed her forehead.

"W-W-What!" Pethra was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond.

Aron chuckled slightly and whispered into her ear, "Consider it your reward. You did good back there."

Pethra blushed and looked down, feeling a mix of embarrassment and happiness.

Aron then patted Kasumi's head and spoke softly to her. "Take it slow, my little fox. I know you're strong. Defeat your fear, and you'll be unstoppable."

Kasumi nodded, her eyes shining with determination. "Thank you, Master. I'll try my best."

With a final nod, Aron led the two girls away from the scene, leaving Father Valarian behind, who stood there watching their interaction with a small smile on his face.