Chapter 271: Marolf

"Roar!!"

Alvarez, increasingly aggrieved, looked to the heavens and roared, unfurling massive wings that, like a sky‑blocking veil, occupied one‑fifth of the temple hall and stirred a series of gloomy currents.

The hooded man faced the oncoming gale with a calm expression and said lightly, "No need to get angry; you know what I'm saying is true."

"If those Elders find out, they will stop at nothing to permanently enslave you, the giant dragon who can wield shadow power; then your fate will be worse than death!"

"Therefore," he lifted his chin proudly, "why not cooperate with me? We swear to the gods to become watchful companions. I guarantee that you and the information of this half‑plane will not leak, and you will help me control this half‑plane."

Ma Luofu finished speaking, and seeing the shadow dragon opposite him hesitate, felt a surge of excitement.

If this shadow dragon truly agrees, then he

will have truly made his thirty years of scheming worthwhile!

To obtain this half‑plane, he risked being discovered by the Alliance's cruel, vicious Elders and secretly built his own private troops.

For years, ever‑pursuing clues to this half‑plane, he continuously expanded his power, starting as a lowly goon in the Shadow Alliance and becoming today a well‑known consul!

What for? Simply to obtain the quasi‑divine inheritance he stumbled upon in his youth!

He's waited far too long; had that damned little scoundrel not take that book years ago, causing him to lose fourteen years, he should have already seized control here!

Nevertheless, during those fourteen years he constantly honed his assassination skills, and now he is a level‑20 shadow assassin just one step away from Legendary!

Even without those subordinates, he is confident he can trade blows with this shadow dragon.

"What do you think, esteemed Señor Alvarez?" Ma Luofu said with a smile.

The shadow dragon sighed, relaxed its whole body, and said, "What else can I do? What you say isn't bad!"

In an instant, midway through Alvarez's words, he suddenly erupted!

The shadow dragon violently flung open its ferocious maw, dark energy surging from its mouth as if drawn from endless shadows. Immediately, a blast of shadow dragon breath erupted like a raging black torrent, devouring everything in its path, as if even light could not escape its erosion.

The shadow breath traced a bizarre arc in the air, aiming straight at Ma Luofu, whose face had suddenly turned pale.

"Treacherous evil dragon, how dare you deceive me?!" Ma Luofu had no time to dodge, so he gritted his teeth, raised his twin blades before him, and dense shadow energy poured from the curved blades, forming a black shield.

This is a branch of advanced shadow mystic arts, the Black Magic sub‑branch, an enhanced four‑ring shadow technique called Spellcraft Distortion, which can siphon Arcane Power or shadow mystic energy for one's own use.

Relying on this supernatural ability, shadow assassins become the most vexing foes of Spellcasters after level 15.

The shadow dragon's breath is naturally a supernatural exhalation composed of shadow energy; the moment the black torrent struck the black shield, nearly half of the potent energy was absorbed by the shield and then transferred into Ma Luofu's body.

Ma Luofu's face lit up with satisfaction, as if he'd taken a supreme tonic; his muscles bulged with blue veins, and his twin blades held firm before him, repelling the dragon's breath.

When the breath's final afterglow faded, Ma Luofu flicked his limp wrist, stared coldly at the great dragon and said, "Since you're courting death, I'll grant it."

He pointed casually, and over twenty professionals instantly summoned streaks of afterimages that surged toward Alvarez, while Ma Luofu's body dissolved into shadow.

The shadow dragon's strength indeed surpasses that of a human of the same tier, but it cannot endure the sheer number of high‑tier professionals; a swarm of level‑14 and 15 shadow assassins plus an occasional pseudo‑Legendary assassin that ambushes it gradually turned the tide against Alvarez. The vast temple now became a cage that restrained him; he could not spread his wings to the sky, and his massive body became a live target for those agile assassins.

"No!!"

After Ma Luofu reappeared and slashed the shadow dragon's chest, Alvarez let out a thunderous roar, and the massive shadow energy surged like a shockwave, hurling everyone nearby.

Alvarez lay weakly on the ground, large clumps of dragon blood constantly dripping, emitting a foul, nauseating stench.

Ma Luofu leapt back gracefully, landed steadily, and taunted, "Looks like the world will gain another dragon‑slayer today."

Alvarez felt desperate and angry; as a proud shadow dragon, once the ancient blue dragon that ruled the Ennoak Great Desert, he could not believe he was defeated by a treacherous, despicable human.

Ma Luofu, seeing the other ignore him, sneered, about to order his men to continue the assault, when his expression tightened and he suddenly stared at the temple entrance.

"Who!" Ma Luofu shouted loudly.

Meanwhile, the three who had just entered the temple—Shana and two others—were shocked; they were clearly invisible, yet this man somehow detected them?

The three halted instantly, frozen. Ma Luofu glanced suspiciously at the doorway, then suddenly launched a long arrow of shadow energy that landed precisely in front of Kaede's feet.

Kaede's legs went weak, nearly kneeling, but seeing the threatening gazes from Shana and Erbith, he forced himself to remain silent.

Ma Luofu stared coldly for a moment, then turned his head away.

Shana exhaled, it seemed this man lacked the power of True Insight Technique to see through invisibility, only hearing their footsteps.

!

She stared at the half‑exposed face beneath the man's hood, her fist clenched tightly, eyes blazing with vengeful fury.

She could not forget, never could she forget.

It was that face, that scar. The man who killed her parents and her mentor stood before her!

"Alvarez, now, I'll give you another chance, but the terms have changed."

Ma Luofu showed a greedy expression and said, "Swear to the gods, submit to me, make me your lord, and I will spare your life!"

Yes, his thinking had changed. This great dragon was already a prize in his grasp; compared with a dragon‑slayer, he preferred to have a giant dragon as his pet!

Alvarez lay weakly on the ground, blood loss so severe he could no longer rise, yet this did not stop him from flashing a contemptuous smile: "A mere, mere lowly assassin."

He thrust his dragon head upward, eyes cracking, "Fit to be a True Dragon's master?!"

Ma Luofu shook his head regretfully; he truly did not want to miss this giant dragon—if he could secure an ancient dragon's service, hide in this half‑plane to build strength, he could even contest the Alliance's supreme elder seat!

Unfortunately, he failed to show proper deference!

Ma Luofu was about to draw his curved blade when an extremely dangerous feeling surged in his mind; instinctively he turned, only to see a dazzling green light blasting from the temple doorway!

(End of Chapter)