[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shut-up-malevolent-dragon-i-don-t-want-to-have-a":3,"chapter-shut-up-malevolent-dragon-i-don-t-want-to-have-a-shut-up-malevolent-dragon-i-don-t-want-to-have-a-chapter-883":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Shut Up, Malevolent Dragon! I Don’t Want to Have Any More Children With You",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1714611,2190,"Vol 7. Chapter 73: Today I Finally Know I Am Myself","shut-up-malevolent-dragon-i-don-t-want-to-have-a-chapter-883",883,"\u003Cp>“M-Muse?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei’s eyes widened in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you here? Weren’t you supposed to go find the teachers with Luka?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse kept walking deeper inside, while the steel-shelled scorpions immediately surrounded her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This place is too far from the main road. If we wait for the teachers to be found and then come back, it’ll be too late. So I came to help you hold them off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s too dangerous here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei completely panicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moment ago, even when she was facing the swarm’s assault with death looming over her, she hadn’t been as frantic as she was now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She shouted at Muse:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quick! Hurry and get out of here! If you don’t leave now, it’ll be too late!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse stopped where she stood, less than ten meters away from Hefei and Zorn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And within those mere ten meters, steel-shelled scorpions howled and screeched between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Hefei across the swarm, Muse shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I turn and run, you’ll be finished for sure. Luka has already gone to bring back the teachers. Until they arrive, I’ll buy as much time as I can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Muse, you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei didn’t know what else she could say. Facing such circumstances, all she could do was believe that Muse could hold out until help came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then please be careful, Muse. These scorpions can pinpoint your position precisely in the dark,” Hefei reminded her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zorn also shouted:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And they’re immune to dragon flame!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His heart raced, then he realized and muttered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right, you can’t use dragon flame anyway...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei shot him a vicious glare, then called to Muse again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In any case, these scorpions have extremely high defense and attack power. You must be careful. Zorn and I are completely out of magic and stamina—we can’t help you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that brief exchange, the steel-shelled scorpions swarmed in around Muse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few of them darted forward to probe her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dim light of her faint flame against the absolute darkness, Muse couldn’t make out their movements clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when two of them lunged straight at her did she barely manage to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the probing strike, but her shoulder was slashed by one of them, leaving a bloody gash. She widened her stance, bent slightly, and watched her surroundings warily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pebble bounced behind her with a crisp sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse spun and fired a magic needle—but it hit nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her pupils tightened sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A trick...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instant she realized she’d fallen for their scheme, a powerful impact slammed into her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swarm piled onto her from behind, knocking her to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, Muse reacted quickly. The moment she fell, she rolled into a gap and forced herself up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hefei was right... this swarm really is far smarter than what’s written in the textbooks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse’s brow furrowed, her breath caught, not daring to miss the slightest sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the screeches and the constant beating of wings rattled her head into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scorpions circled above, not rushing to attack, as though toying with a pitiful prey before bedtime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, one shot down toward Muse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, she sensed its approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was so fast—at this distance she had no time to conjure another magic needle. She could only meet it with her fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her punch landed squarely, sending the creature flying several meters, slamming into the cave wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after only a brief pause, the scorpion flapped its wings and flew back into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By all logic, a B-rank small-class beast like the steel-winged scorpion, even with strong defenses, shouldn’t have been able to withstand Muse’s punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she lacked an elemental attribute, her physical strength was at least that of a normal dragon. How could one punch not kill a scorpion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great, it’s over...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zorn sighed against the wall in despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If even our attacks can’t kill them, Muse has no chance either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei clenched her fists tightly. She ignored Zorn’s defeatist words and kept her eyes fixed on Muse, who was fighting the swarm, silently cheering for her friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, from the corner of her eye, Hefei noticed two scorpions at her feet, barely alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brow furrowed. She reached out and picked one up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strange...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zorn looked over. “What’s strange?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This one has no burn marks, no wounds at all—so how is it already dying...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starved to death, maybe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei gave him a blank stare, exasperated. She raised her gaze back toward Muse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Muse... could it be...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Muse avoided several more attacks and began counterattacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She focused her magic into her golden-red gauntlets so she could strike instantly at close range, without relying on conjuring from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through repeated exchanges, this method worked—she began striking the scorpions down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One after another, they fell from the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei and Zorn watched in astonishment, finding it hard to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We just used up everything and barely killed any, yet she’s taking them down one after another?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zorn was baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And it doesn’t even look like she’s using elemental magic. Just pure magic power?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei slowly shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know how. But one thing’s certain—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at the scorpion in her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Muse’s attacks can hurt these monsters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was exactly what Muse had just discovered herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure physical strikes couldn’t harm them. But once her magic needles landed, they inflicted real damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like... Like slamming something against a wall from inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her magic carried the property of “sound impact,” striking internal structures without breaking the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scorpions’ powerful defense depended entirely on their steel wings—and those wings happened to be the perfect medium for “sound impact.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing they couldn’t withstand this new enemy’s strikes, the scorpions pulled back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse stepped back as well, breathing in short, shallow pants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Amazing, Muse! Just like that—wipe out these damn bugs!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zorn was fired up now. His face changed faster than a page turning. Who would’ve thought only moments ago he was cowering in fear?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse’s sudden advantage lit a spark of hope in Hefei too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled softly and whispered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you were this strong all along...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed she had underestimated her friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The standoff lasted only briefly. Then part of the swarm shot upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse followed their movement with her eyes—then her heart sank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei and Zorn also realized their goal, and their smiles froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No! They’re going to block the hole in the ceiling!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If they seal it, no light will come in at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that happened, the cave would become entirely their domain. Muse would stand no chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, visibility depended on the last faint bit of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was gone, Muse would be blind—while the scorpions could still use echolocation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understanding this, Muse tried to target the ones heading for the hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last ray of light disappeared. Shadows swallowed her. The cave filled with the chilling shrieks of the scorpions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They whirled around her in the dark, crying out, as if taunting her—or celebrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear crept into Muse’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had thought her sound-aspected magic needles could counter them. But if she ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ couldn’t see her targets—what then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her sight stripped away, the battle turned against her instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei shouted into the pitch-black void, reaching out with her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run, Muse! Run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again, Hefei was telling her to escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this time, Muse truly felt the urge to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear pressed down on her like the thick darkness and icy air. She took half a step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way out was behind her. If she just turned and ran blindly, she might still escape the cursed nest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then... Hefei would be lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could she really keep fighting with only her strength?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mind flashed with words from her father, from Aunt Rebecca, from Mr. Berang:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A melody’s perfection depends only on you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Whether you can wield fire magic or not, you are still you—even if you were born with flaws.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Then it has nothing to do with me anymore, right? And through all the failures, haven’t you already found your own path, little one?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Everyone defines perfection differently. You must have your own conviction, Muse. You must find the perfect melody that belongs to you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All this time, Muse had known the answer about herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just hadn’t dared face it. She was afraid that once she looked, she would find her true self was nothing but weak and timid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, with fear gnawing at her, Muse Melkvey finally accepted her imperfect self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her trembling arm, brought her hand to her mouth...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And bit down on her own wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharp pain shot through her. Blood trickled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain cleared her mind. It steadied her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t run... I absolutely can’t run... I can’t... run away anymore...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had always chosen to escape because she lacked confidence. Her parents and sisters had always been there to catch her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—if she chose to stay a coward, she would lose her best friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would never allow that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if fear shook her body, she would force courage to rise in her heart... Even if it was only... a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm down, Muse. There has to be a way. Dad said every living being has a weakness. If I observe carefully, I’ll find it. The steel-shelled scorpions find prey in the dark by emitting ultrasonic waves from their throats and analyzing the echoes. If I can disrupt those waves, I can ruin their targeting. And my magic has the ‘sound’ property—it should work... Yes!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this quick analysis, Muse relaxed her body, drew a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whispered softly, and let her magic flow outward, expanding from her body in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far away, Hefei and Zorn also felt the pulse of magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Trying to drive them off with a magic burst? That won’t work,” Zorn muttered doubtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Hefei raised her hand, her fingertips sensing the faint tremors in the air. After a moment, she said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—that’s not an ordinary surge of magic. There’s clearly something else in it... a new element. Listen, Zorn! They’re losing control! Muse’s magic has thrown off their echolocation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zorn perked up his ears. It was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She... she disrupted the scorpions’ sonar! How the hell did she do that?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hefei shook her head lightly. “Who knows? But my father always said—the Melkvey family brings surprises.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swarm faltered, attacking wildly in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse realized disrupting them alone wasn’t enough. In chaotic melee, they could still kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had to break them completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how could she strike true in utter darkness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She focused on the waves of her magic flowing outward. It was the first time she’d released so much at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spread out like a sphere, expanding around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With its sound property, every reflection came back to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lowered her gaze, flexed her hands. The waves returned, painting a picture in her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could see—without sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Echolocation...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse murmured:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This ability... isn’t just yours, you filthy bugs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her head, closed her eyes, and concentrated fully on the feedback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From then on, Muse fought with her eyes closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magic needles laced with sound burst from her fingertips like threads of golden light from her gauntlets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one found its mark. Each one brought down a scorpion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air filled with crashing thuds and sharp clangs as the needles pierced steel wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That small figure darted and spun in the dark, eyes shut, her movements flowing like a dance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her golden-red gauntlets flashed, her fingers weaving like they played across piano keys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had found her rhythm—the rhythm of turning despair into triumph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, the scorpions fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the ones blocking the ceiling hole were shot down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light seeped back into the cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muse stepped forward into the beam of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She reached out her hand toward her friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go back, Hefei.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her future, Muse would encounter more radiant symphonies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But here and now...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The long-lost confidence, the rekindled courage, the acceptance of herself, and the unshakable will to protect her dearest friend...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was her perfect melody.\u003C\u002Fp>",2034,"2026-06-06T15:10:09.886Z",1,"novelbin.me","deb83b951735f801efa04b284126f791124a8caf462b6c8cc4535ae3828c0dba","shut-up-malevolent-dragon-i-don-t-want-to-have-a-chapter-884","shut-up-malevolent-dragon-i-don-t-want-to-have-a-chapter-882",914,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshut-up-malevolent-dragon-i-don-t-want-to-have-a-cover.jpg"]