Chapter 40: Three Pacts Beneath the Radiant Sun

Time turned back to the moment Lind stood in confrontation with the red dragon, Herbert.

"But tell me, for what do you fight?!"

Lind’s thunderous questioning left Herbert momentarily stunned. How could the other party ask such a foolish question? Why fight? For himself, of course. The other party had provoked him time and again, lecturing him with the arrogant tone of someone who "knew everything." How could Herbert endure such a thing?

Seeing the scales on the red dragon glowing increasingly crimson, Lind knew that empty words would no longer suffice to keep him steady. He needed concrete evidence, preferably related to the Red Dragon King. He calculated that the red dragon’s rage had not yet reached its peak, making it unlikely that a mirror-reflection counterattack would cause significant damage. Moreover, both exits of the great hall were held by drakonid guards, making a clean escape difficult.

At this critical juncture, Lind did not forget what Victoria had told him: the answers lie within the book.

He flipped through it casually, and on the page where he stopped, a crimson wax seal burned with an obscure, convoluted ancient script that he could not decipher at first.

[Translation activated]
[Ten reputation points consumed]

Without hesitation, Lind spoke in a resonant voice:

"Now, witnessed by Ottataslav, I, Lalityavia, and Saltastor swear three strikes of the palm, setting the three covenants of the Radiance Day."

"The first strike, covenant of the clear divide; the two great races shall not infringe upon one another."

"The second strike, covenant of the world’s eternal existence; I swear with my life to defend the World Tree."

"The third strike, covenant that while dragons may perish, the myriad races shall not; on the day of the Shadow Assault, the dragon race shall charge at the vanguard."

Within the hall, the black-haired man’s voice echoed with weight. Under the influence of the World Book, a vague scene manifested in the minds of all living beings: at the roots of the lush, world-bearing giant tree, eternal flames and radiant golden light struck palms in a vow. Between them stood a silvery-white figure transcending time and life, holding a verdant book, recording the moment. Amidst the shock, one could faintly feel the tragic heroism of that red silhouette.

Lalityavia...

Herbert, consumed by rage and about to strike with his claws, suddenly froze. That was a name he could never forget. It was a pride carved into his very dragon bones; from the moment he swore to fight for her, his life was no longer his own. All glory belonged to the Red Dragon King.

His previously blank mind erupted with a raging flame, burning wantonly. The power of the End, appearing to loathe this spark of life, coalesced into thousands of pitch-black vipers that lunged toward the flame, gnawing and decomposing the fire of life. Herbert felt as if his brain were being torn apart; the agony forced him to howl incessantly. His massive body rolled across the throne, his dragon wings crushing the kneeling servants nearby into pools of blood and mud.

Lind retreated to a safe distance, silently watching the red dragon’s descent into madness. He did not care what was happening to him at this moment; he only knew that time was up and it was time for him to withdraw. He hoped the dragon would stay mad for a while longer. It had to be said—reciting things related to the Red Dragon King was like chanting a mantra of binding; it was incredibly effective on the red dragon clan.

"If you figure it out, open the box."

Leaving behind these final words, Lind flicked his sleeves and turned to leave. The five minutes were up. Victoria and Sirona should be waiting for him outside according to the plan.

As he reached the exit and prepared to leave through the passage, two tall drakonids—one green, one purple—blocked his path.

"The Great King hasn't told you to leave yet."

Though they were inwardly terrified, they performed their duty to intercept this mysterious white-clad figure. There was no choice; if they didn't block him for the sake of appearances, they would have no defense when the Red Dragon King later held them accountable.

Noticing the hind legs of these two lackeys shaking like sieves, Lind couldn't help but feel amused. They were cowardly enough to be trembling, yet still trying to block him—he didn't know whether to praise or mock them. He furrowed his brows and said indignantly:

"Even the Red Dragon dares not stop me—where do you two get the gall!"

"Wuu..."

The green and purple brothers glanced at their still-raving King, then silently raised their weapons, shrinking their necks back.

Lind snorted coldly and walked into the passage at a leisurely pace. Although he desperately wanted to run with all his might, he could only walk slowly. It was like the final bit of buffering on a progress bar—urgent, yet useless to rush.

When he finally rounded the corner and saw the jagged hole at the end of the corridor, his face lit up.

*Time to get out of here!*

He ran to the blasted opening, and as he bent down, he found two pairs of eyes staring straight at him.

Victoria: 0.0
Sirona: 0.0

There was no time to pet these two cute creatures now. Lind said hurriedly:

"Make way, let me through first. Is it done? Quick, quick, let's take the small path and evacuate. That powder keg of a red dragon is about to blow any second."

Victoria and Sirona didn't waste words. After meeting up with Lind, they headed straight for the cliff’s edge without a second’s delay and took a leap of faith.

They hadn't fallen more than a dozen meters when a trampoline-like net made of bamboo, reed glue, grass blocks, and other materials appeared before them. Victoria adjusted the angle of her body. The moment they hit the net, it deformed instantly, and before reaching its elastic limit, it flung Victoria, along with Lind and Sirona on her back, high into the sky.

The initial velocity was far faster than a dragon’s takeoff. Once they reached a certain height, Victoria flapped her wings and began flying along the planned route.

Meanwhile, she couldn't help but ask curiously:

"Lind, did you really put gunpowder in the wooden box? I feel like the power wouldn't be enough to hurt the red dragon; its skin is too thick."

"That was just a metaphor," Lind said helplessly. "The box didn't contain any explosives or anything harmful—it could even 'help' the red dragon remember the past."

"You... how could you help it?" Victoria was anxious immediately. No wonder Lind had been so secretive about what was in the box. He was actually aiding the enemy! "Sirona, there’s a traitor among us! Get ready to fly on your own; watch me throw him off!"

"Hey, hey, hey, don't!" Although he knew Victoria was joking, Lind didn't want to experience her 360-degree aerial spins again. "How should I put it? Let me ask you, what form were you in at the very beginning?"

"A dragon egg, of course."

"Exactly. I gave him two eggs to help the red dragon recall his childhood self—not forgetting one's original intention, right? If he gets hungry, he can even use those two eggs to stir-fry a dish and nourish himself; it can be considered an act of kindness on our part. Trading precious eggs for a treasure vault—such a fair deal is hard to come by even with a lantern."

"Pfft, hahahahaha!" Victoria burst into joyful laughter.