Chapter 345: Destruction Is Protection (5K First Update)

"Ha, ha... hiss!"

In the blazing space filled with crimson flames, a massive dragon with scarlet wings raised its head high, glaring furiously at the darkness above.

Valentina was gritting her teeth, struggling to resist the heat coming from all sides.

Those flames from countless ages ago were madly burning her soul.

Before this fire, even she could feel the searing heat, feel her soul being roasted.

This was a trial.

But Valentina would rather call this feeling torment.

The flames were like blades, slicing her soul piece by piece and burning it away, making her feel the pain of a slow death every single moment.

"... Hiss!"

After an unknown amount of time, the silently enduring Valentina finally couldn't take it anymore and let out an irritable low growl.

"Aaaaaaaaaah!!!"

She widened her eyes, glared at the pitch-black above, and growled through gritted teeth: "You damned old thing! How long exactly do I have to endure this!?"

It wasn't that Valentina lacked the will to keep going, but this pain was simply too unbearable, making her unable to stop herself from wanting to complain.

I can endure it.

But you have to give me a reason at least!!?

Fine if you won't give a reason.

At the very least, give me a deadline to hold on until!!?

Ha!

The massive dragon arched its back like a big cat, roaring nonstop at the sky.

Haki Dragon was starting to bare its fangs.

Facing Valentina's bared fangs and hissing, the black canopy like a dome of heaven trembled slightly, and the sound of rolling thunder rang out.

No, that wasn't thunder.

It was the "sky" mocking her with a playful tone.

"So, little one, is this your limit?" The darkness above spoke.

A black dragon so vast it was beyond imagination replaced the sky, becoming the firmament of this blazing space.

It lowered its head, looking down at its irritated descendant with mockery.

Compared to it, Valentina's massive body was like a newly hatched wyrmling—as if a single light breath could send her tumbling.

"No, it's not!"

Facing this ancient being who called herself the "Mother of All Dragons," Valentina didn't feel the slightest stage fright, nor did she show any respect, and rudely shouted: "You're the one who can't hold on!"

Ha!!!

Haki Dragon was still bristling, hissing at the dragon who might be her grandmother's grandmother's grandmother.

"Hehe."

The Mother of All Dragons was not at all angered by Valentina's disrespect; instead, she smiled with great appreciation.

"Yes, it must be me who can't hold on, hahaha!"

She was very pleased with this junior.

With the passing of bloodlines, more and more dragon descendants had lost their original nature.

Though still proud, they had gradually become more cunning, harboring awe toward all manner of dangers.

Such a change certainly allowed them to live longer, but it also unknowingly caused the dragons to slowly change.

This kind of change greatly displeased Her.

But the Mother of All Dragons had no way to interfere with Her descendants, and could only helplessly watch the race gradually change.

Although She was still alive, in truth She could also be considered as good as dead.

She lived within the bloodline of the dragons, possessing tremendous power, but was unable to exert any influence on the outside world.

Because of certain reasons that couldn't be brought into the open, dragons had no racial deity exclusive to them.

In the dragons' eyes, the gods feared the emergence of a Dragon God.

The ancient gods would strike against their kindling of divine fire, and the faithful pantheon would not allow one of their number to be born—a deity stronger than all others!

The specific truth was unknown to outsiders, and whether the dragons' claims were true or not was unclear, but the gods had indeed been preventing the emergence of a Dragon God through various means.

The Mother of All Dragons was not the deity of dragons.

But in a certain sense, She had also transcended sainthood, becoming a special existence akin to a deity.

To be precise, She was a member of the quasi-divine.

In Her lifetime, the Mother of All Dragons chose to merge everything of Herself into the dragon bloodline, becoming the sole quasi-divine existence of the dragons.

Before Her, dragons had no such enviable racial talent as an inheritance space.

It was only after the Mother of All Dragons became a quasi-divine, combined with the willing sacrifice of several powerful dragons and over a thousand years of time, that the bloodline inheritance was completely completed, allowing that knowledge and memory to be passed down generation after generation.

After gaining endless life, allowing the dragon race to achieve a startling elevation, She was also bound by various constraints.

All dragon descendants who entered the inheritance space to receive various inheritances were unable to remember what specifically had happened inside.

For most dragons, receiving an inheritance was more like taking a nap—by the time they opened their eyes, everything was already over, and all sorts of knowledge had automatically been added to their minds.

But the little one before Her gave Her a rare pleasant surprise.

Valentina was not only untamed, possessing extraordinary strength, but had not gone completely mad either, retaining just the right amount of reason.

And the best part was that she didn't like using schemes and tricks, preferring a straightforward way of interacting.

Very good.

This was the Mother of All Dragons' favorite kind of descendant personality—it would remind Her of Her own younger days.

Besides, Valentina could actually remember the conversations in the inheritance space!!!

This also meant that she was able to transmit her will to the outside world, letting other dragons know.

A messenger!

The messenger it had longed for across countless ages!

For a quasi-divine being like it, what did such a messenger amount to?

A divine favored one!

And the only divine favored one in all these many years!!!

The heavy responsibility of whether the dragon race could rise again had already fallen upon Valentina's shoulders!

Although Valentina had always expressed that she wasn't interested in such a beautiful vision as "making dragons great again."

Rather, why would she be interested?

Abandoned by her kin as a child, locked up once she grew up, and never saw any dragon try to come save her.

Valentina's feelings for the dragon race couldn't even compare to those she had for Eliza.

You know Eliza, right? The two of them aren't close at all.

That's right, Valentina is even less familiar with the dragon race!

What stinky fish and rotten shrimp, don't come rubbing up against me!

She didn't want to do anything, only wanting to stay by Herbert's side as a salted fish who ate, drank, slept, and did nothing all day.

The messenger divine favored one it had finally discovered turned out to be this slacking-off appearance… but the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons actually wasn't worried about this.

What's there to fear?

Isn't it just a bit of a temper?

Who doesn't have a temper?

Her having a temper is perfectly normal!

Right, this old ancestor of yours likes her personality!

Valentina is still young now, still yearning for freedom, but there will come a day when she grows up.

After all, she's still a dragon; even if she won't actively help, she won't sabotage things either, right?

Moreover, if she's unwilling to do the voluntarily undertaken compulsory labor… what about paying her?

For this descendant of the divine favored one, it was extremely generous.

Child, I have here the inheritance that all dragons yearn for!

It wasn't worried at all that Valentina wouldn't take the bait.

To help Valentina better understand its generosity, it even bestowed upon her first the "Dragon of Wisdom" inheritance, which could be considered top-tier among all inheritances.

On one hand, it was to let Valentina grow better, and not perish halfway out in the outside world.

On the other hand, it was also to let her better understand its painstaking efforts.

Of course, if the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons were to learn that Valentina only used the "Sage" to open doors everywhere looking for snacks, who knows what it would think.

Would it feel speechless?

Or would it feel that this was also perfectly normal?

Or would it, while being speechless, stubbornly say through gritted teeth: "This old ancestor of yours likes this kind of child the most!"?

Apart from the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons, no one would know the answer.

Although it had just mocked Valentina for being weak, in truth it was already quite satisfied that she had been able to hold on until now.

The longer one could endure within this inheritance inferno, the greater the harvest afterward.

And now, Valentina had already endured longer than some other dragons who had barely stepped into Sainthood.

This meant that, as long as she could survive, Valentina's lowest future achievement would be Sainthood!

Of course, to reach that step, the time required would also be quite staggering.

"Child, if you can't hold on any longer, you don't have to force yourself. You've already done excellently; you can give up."

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons comforted her thus, not wishing for Valentina to suffer any spiritual harm from enduring all this.

Although this inheritance fire wouldn't truly burn the inheritor to death, there was still a possibility of burning them mad.

Accepting words beyond one's own limits would surely bring about backlash.

"Hmph!"

Upon hearing the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons' well-meaning persuasion, Valentina let out an angry snort, and her temper flared up instead.

"Don't look down on me! I can definitely hold on, I… huh?" While baring her teeth and bragging, Valentina's expression suddenly changed, and she froze on the spot.

"Eh!!?"

At this moment, she suddenly felt a wave of coolness surge into her body, making her limbs and body, which had been enduring the burning pain, instantly feel refreshed.

"Mmm~ Ha!"

Stimulated by this pleasant sensation, Valentina couldn't help but shiver and let out a delighted moan, cheering: "So cool!"

Even the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons was shocked by her reaction, not knowing how she had suddenly broken through her limit.

"Could it be that this little one has a chance to go further than the other Saint dragons?"

It quickly grew excited, a flash of excitement passing through its enormous eyes as it stared intently at Valentina, who was shaking her body as if shaking off water.

Hold on a little longer!

Child, let me see your limit!

Can you go a little further!

And what the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons did not know was that what Valentina was thinking at this moment was not how long she could hold on… but a strange question.

"But why does my whole body suddenly feel wet?"

Valentina couldn't understand at all.

She carefully savored the feeling and realized it hadn't spread across her whole body in an instant — first her entire back felt cool, then it quickly spread to the rest of her body.

"This feeling, hmm, it's like soaking in water… no, more like being doused with water?"

Huh?

What on earth happened?

Did Herbert notice something was wrong and pour water on me?

If so, then he's actually pretty nice!

"Hehe, once it's over, I'll have to thank him properly~" Valentina muttered to herself, habitually licking her lips.

Who knows whether she actually wanted to thank Herbert, or just wanted to take the chance to treat herself a little?

Strangely enough, when she unconsciously licked her lips, she felt even more coolness spread across her body!

Especially on her face and chest — icy cool.

"What is this…"

Valentina blinked, wanting very much to open her eyes and tell Herbert — you don't need to pour water anymore.

"Little one! Focus! Stop getting distracted!"

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons' call pulled Valentina back, and she tucked away her scattered thoughts, tensing her spirit with rare obedience.

She could already feel it.

The final breakthrough — it was close!

No more relaxing; time to get serious.

"You shall step into Epic!"

Beside her ear, the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons' voice rumbled.

"Before, you were still lost, unprepared, so I let you wake briefly, and once you found the goal in your heart, you would enter here again."

"What you hadn't figured out before — have you figured it out now?"

"No, since you were able to return, it means you already have the answer in your heart."

When does an ordinary person get a second chance at breakthrough? Let alone one interrupted midway.

From this point alone, Valentina truly was a lucky one especially favored by the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons.

"Child, tell me!"

"What is the conviction in your heart?"

"What exactly is your path of Epic!!?"

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons asked for Valentina's answer — what kind of Epic powerhouse do you wish to become?

The atmosphere was solemn and Solemn, the heavens' might trembling, but Valentina's reaction was not serious at all.

"Got it, so noisy!"

She pouted and muttered: "Right now, I already lack nothing!"

Valentina shifted from her dragon form back into human form, stretched her back vigorously, and let out a long breath.

She slowly closed her eyes, countless scenes flashing through them, silently murmuring a name.

"Herbert, Herbert, Herbert… hehe."

The fact that she could feel so relaxed and cool right now must be because of Herbert's help.

No — the fact that she could reach this step today was also thanks to Herbert's help.

Without him, she'd still be that unacknowledged defective product, that piece of trash unaccepted by her kind.

Without him, she'd still be enduring the endless loneliness and hunger of that prison.

All the change came because of him.

Because Herbert didn't fear her, didn't treat her as a raving madwoman.

It was Herbert who reached out his hand to her back then that made everything after possible.

Everything she has now — the beautiful, the happy, the joyful… all of it, every bit, comes from him.

So, does her answer even need asking?

Valentina opened her eyes and spoke her chosen path to the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons.

"I will protect him, and destroy every enemy that tries to harm him!"

"I will keep all malice far away from him!"

"I will grow stronger! Stronger! Stronger!!!"

The evil dragon who had lived for herself in her first half of life, destroying all enemies by instinct, at this moment of stepping into Epic made a choice utterly opposite to her past life.

"With me here, no one can hurt him!!!"

Within the inheritance space, Valentina made this declaration.

She chose to protect.

To protect the beauty in her heart.

Just as all dragons guard their own treasure.

That youth — he is her most, most, most precious treasure!

And faced with Valentina's answer, the Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons fell silent.

This was her thought.

Was this her path of Epic?

"……"

She furrowed her brow and slowly said: "Child, I do not think this is a thought befitting a noble dragon."

"That idea of yours is far too naive."

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons did not mince words as she criticized and rejected her descendant's naive notion.

"Hmph!"

Valentina had foreseen this outcome long ago, yet still chose to stand her ground.

Even facing this great being, she glared back without yielding an inch, baring her teeth: "What? Are you going to deny me?"

She had already made up her mind to resist to the end, but the result… things did not unfold the way she had imagined.

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons gently shook her head and said lightly, "No, child, that is not what I mean."

"Having a treasure you wish to protect is nothing to be ashamed of."

Hmm?

"Then what do you suggest?" Valentina felt puzzled, unsure what She was trying to express.

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons looked at Valentina's hesitant expression and said slowly, "What I mean is… do you really have to wait for them to strike first before fighting back?"

Valentina: "……Eh?"

What does that mean?

"Heh heh."

The massive mountain-like dark-red dragon lifted her eyelids slightly, a trace of amusement flashing through her eyes, and scoffed:

"Why not make those people not even dare to think of it, make them not dare to harbor such thoughts in their minds!"

Whoosh!

The dark-red dragon suddenly spread her wings and beat them hard, whipping up a gale in the space.

"The reason you think this way is because you are still not strong enough!"

"Does anyone dare think about stealing my treasures? No! They don't even dare think it!"

"As long as you can be as strong as I am, all malice will stay far away from it!"

She roared wantonly, letting her blood-descendant experience her terror and might.

"Become stronger!"

"Strong enough that the gods dare not look down on you! So they revere you! Even, so they fear you!"

"Destroy in advance every factor that would threaten your treasure."

"That, is true protection!"

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons hurled the question at Valentina: "Do you want to become stronger!!?"

The answer, naturally, was yes.

Valentina's spirit surged with excitement, and she nodded vigorously.

Yes, yes, yes!

Eliminate all threats in advance!

This is what I want!

"If you want it, then accept my inheritance, and you shall gain the power you have always longed for!"

The Mother of Ten Thousand Dragons laughed heartily.

"That's right."

"Destruction, is protection!"

……

……

Endless Labyrinth.

"Um, are you really alright?"

Fu Leimei, her face flushed red, looked at Valentina beside her, who was dripping wet from head to toe as if she had been washed in water, and could not stop the corner of her mouth from twitching.

Oh my god… Lord of the Ocean above!

What, what did I just do?

No, that's not right.

Herbert, what on earth did you make me doooooo!!?

(End of this chapter)