Chapter 28 - 28

Coming of age ceremony 28: 28.

Coming of age ceremony “Ice blocks, Ketila Red Leaves, Crack Stones…”

The sought-after lake was quite extensive, surrounded by a luxuriant forest, it resembled a colossal pupil reflecting the sunlight, glittering like fish scales.

The materials Kree had purchased were rather primitive, suggesting that the coming of age ceremony of the Dragon-man Tribe wouldn’t require items needing precise processing.

For the relatively primitive demi-humans, ice blocks were precious; Ketila Red Leaves grew in the underground dark rivers, and Crack Stones were found deep in the earth’s veins.

Although these substances were different, they all served the same purpose.

Absorbing heat.

Before the medical revolution, humans often used Ketila Red Leaves to treat malignant fevers.

Although clinically effective, the leaves could often cause frostbite to human organs, resulting in more severe complications.

Now, no doctor uses such items anymore.

Fisher watched as Kree fed Rafael the dark red leaves.

He touched her forehead and the effect was evident, her body temperature quickly dropped.

But she still felt as hot as a massive furnace to the touch.

“You…

think it over, I will definitely try to assassinate you again after I come of age, so don’t regret helping me with the ceremony…

you humans probably rarely see a fully mature Dragon-man Warrior.”

Indeed, most captured Dragon-people were in their juvenile state; capturing an adult Dragon-man was difficult, and even if captured, they were likely to be dead or severely injured, which was pointless.

Dragon-people were born warriors, and their combat form would fully bloom after coming of age.

Fisher nodded indifferently, and simply said,

“You still have two chances to assassinate me, and you owe me one punishment.”

Rafael paused for a second, then laughed, suddenly speaking to Fisher in a stilted Nali Language,

“You…

will…

see…”

The word “see” at the end was supposed to be something else, but she couldn’t remember the exact word, so she used a vague and incorrect word instead.

Her learning speed for the Nali Language was rapid; she managed to remember many new words in just one night.

It seemed that the human notion of demi-human intelligence being equal to a domestic pig’s was completely incorrect.

“…I’m looking forward to it.” Searᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

At that moment, Kree floated over from the lake’s surface and said to Fisher,

“Lord Fisher, the ritual is ready.”

As the Sun gradually set, a round Moon rose at the opposite end of the sky, lowering the temperature of the ground.

In the middle of the lake, Kree had Xi Ya pile up many Crack Stones to form a platform.

As soon as they were placed on the surface, the water beneath them turned into a thin layer of ice, preventing the stones from sinking.

And above those stones, ice blocks were laid out to form a bed, with several Ketila Red Leaves placed nearby.

“Please have your companions come and help, no clothing can be worn during the ritual.”

Kree was about to help Rafael undress, but as soon as she touched her burlap clothes, she felt a scalding sensation, so she had no choice but to let the Dragon-people help her remove them.

Mier and Fasher came over to help her strip, and Rafael self-consciously looked to see if Fisher was watching, only to see him in the distance, his back turned to her as he lit a cigarette.

Rafael pursed her lips and was carried by several Dragon-men to the ceremonial spot in the lake.

As soon as her flesh touched the ice bed, a massive amount of steam instantly billowed up, making the place seem enchanted.

“Rafael, I must remind you that the difficulty of the Dragon-man’s coming of age ceremony differs from one Dragon-man to another.

It could be as simple as sleeping through it or as excruciating as bone-deep pain…

Your reaction is greater than any other Dragon-man I’ve seen, so if it becomes unbearable, swallow the Ice Leaves beside you, as many as you need.

They can temporarily relieve your pain.”

Kree’s ethereal body wavered in the rising temperature from Rafael, wiped nonexistent sweat, and looked down at the fallen scales of Rafael, which ignited from the heat, falling through the ice bed to the stones below.

“Once you’re ready, I’ll begin to chant the spell and guide your growth.”

Rafael took a deep breath, closed her eyes,

“Alright…

let’s start…”

Kree nodded and then floated from the warming lake to the shore, taking out an ancient leather scroll from her bosom, gazing solemnly at the lake’s center under the night sky.

The several Dragon-men beside her all clenched their hands, looking worriedly toward the middle of the lake, silently praying for Rafael’s coming of age ceremony.

The Moonlight rose, and the icy Moon seemed to cover half the sky, turning the entire lake surface silver-white.

Fisher, expressionless, lit another cigarette, leaning on his palm, his gaze likewise fell on the steam-enshrouded lake.

“Burn it, soul of the dragon”

Kree took a deep breath, and incomprehensible Dragon Language spells were chanted out one by one.

Although not loud, as they reached Rafael’s ears, it seemed as if some invisible and violent energy was stirred.

The next second, every Magic Circuit on her body lit up, those dense, magma-like circuits had grown not just one ring since Fisher last saw them, as if they were about to burst the original Magic Circuits, writhing continuously.

“Ooh!”

The illusionary Magic Circuits moved, igniting every vein and blood in Rafael’s body.

She promptly tasted such agony, blazes like multiple Suns erupted inside her, scorching her senses and nerves to exhaustion.

The previously consumed Ketila Red Leaves took effect, transporting icy cold air into her body with each inhale and exhale, which, though frigid to humans, resembled helpless firefighters in the current moment, awkwardly trying to extinguish the flames.

But amid the pain, Fisher saw clearly the writhing Magic Circuit slide into place in an orderly fashion with Kree’s Spell, and at the junction of all the Magic Circuits, in front of the brain, a hard protuberance slowly began to grow.

That was Lord Raphael’s horn.

As Kree’s incantation sped up, everyone by Mier’s side held their breath, afraid that their breathing would affect the situation from afar.

“Lord Raphael’s horn is growing!”

Lar keenly noticed that long and beautiful red horn, which, at this moment, was emitting a dazzling brilliance, like the Sun itself.

“Such a powerful force, Lord Raphael…”

“Boom!!”

The steaming heat completely burned through the bed of Ice beneath her, even the Crack Stones below began to crumble, stones exploding into fragments from the heat.

The horn had fully grown!

Kree finished chanting the guiding spell and, wiping her sweat, looked at the Dragon-man Lady surrounded by steam.

The red horn was so beautiful, she seemed more powerful than any Dragon-man in history.

“It’s done…”

Lord Raphael’s soul must be the hottest and strongest among all Dragon-men.

Lar thought blankly.

But Fisher’s gaze seemed to penetrate the thick steam and see Lord Raphael’s current state.

A beautiful Dragon Horn had grown, but the magma-like Magic Circuit on her body did not subside.

Instead, it moved about as if alive, crazily seeking an exit.

No, the coming of age ceremony wasn’t over!

“Kree, her coming of age ceremony is not finished!!”

Fisher grabbed his Handcane and stood up, hastily alerting Kree who had just let out a sigh of relief.

The Magic Circuit, activated by the Spell, was fully excited, frantically searching for a frail exit within Raphael’s body.

A Dragon Horn had formed, with a continuous flow of energy spilling from it, but that was not the outlet, causing that power to diffuse into the Air and flames to burst forth.

All the preparation materials had already been completely consumed, and Kree was still unclear about the sudden situation, looking somewhat dazedly at the scene in the lake.

“Ah ah ah!!”

Numerous unspent Magic Circuits tumultuously moved within Raphael, causing her such agony that she arched her body.

At this moment, her body temperature had risen to a terrifying degree, as if her Five Internal Organs and Six Organs were about to burn through.

“Lord Raphael!”

“Why…

why hasn’t it ended?”

She couldn’t bear it any longer and, recalling Kree’s warning, instinctively reached for the Ketila Red Leaf beside her.

However, the leaf, which burst with prickly coldness, ignited instantly upon contact with Raphael’s Dragon Claw, and its boasted heat absorption seemed to be rendered useless, crushed by the terrifying temperature.

“Boom!”

“Wait…

her situation is too special, normal Dragon-men don’t…”

Kree hadn’t finished her sentence when Fisher stepped in front of her, throwing his outer garment on the ground, and raised his Handcane.

“Continue the incantation.”

“…Okay.”

The man’s voice came, making the flustered Kree quickly regain her focus.

She returned to the beginning of the Spell, her voice trembling as she recited the incantation.

The Magic Circuit was guided once more, but this time there was nothing to lower her temperature.

The stones were completely burned through, and Raphael’s body fell towards the lake, but her temperature only caused the water to evaporate the instant it touched her, causing her to keep sinking, and all eyes could only see the silhouette bubbling beneath the lake’s surface, like the Sun.

Fisher remained calm, placing the Magic Wand horizontally in front of him.

As he closed his eyes, rings of purple light appeared on the Handcane, illuminating a peculiar power deeper than the starry sky.

This was not the Magic he had carved, but it had to be used now.

As eight constantly rotating deep purple rings whirled around Fisher, the world seemed to freeze, as if those rings levered something invisible.

In the next second, under the gaze of the Moon, the vast lake reversed and rose towards the Sky.

“Drip, drip…”

“Tap, tap…”

Eighth Ring Magic, “Gravity Sky Ring.”

Along with the burning Raphael who had already sunk, Fisher exhaled and, holding his Handcane, charged towards Raphael suspended in mid-air.

“Lord Fisher!”

The Moon’s light was subtle, and above the emptied lake, countless hovering and motionless water drops were scattered by the advancing figure of Fisher, then captured by an unseen force in mid-air, reflecting the silhouette ahead of him, like the Sun itself.