Chapter 176: Make Shaya the Happiest Dragon Knight (Two-in-one)
The illusory light and shadow shattered.
Shaya stood up, removing his hand from the ruins of the Royal Court.
In the Astral Realm vision, the giant wheel of fate slowly stopped spinning, eventually fading into nothingness.
The golden ancient dragon was already at the end of its strength. The corruption of the Fallen Sun had completely eroded its body and soul, like cancerous cells, destroying all its original order.
Its ability to move at this moment was purely a testament to the powerful physique of a pure-blooded ancient dragon.
Even without this final struggle, it wouldn’t have lasted much longer.
Although Shaya could briefly suppress the golden ancient dragon’s madness with illusions, he was not a Beast Tamer specializing in healing, and none of his contracted familiars possessed healing skills.
Normally, Shaya relied on alchemical potions and vitality elixirs stored in his Spatial Pocket to recover and heal his injuries.
However—
The highest-grade healing potions produced by the Alchemist Association were barely sufficient to treat the flesh and blood of humans. For an ancient dragon of Mythical Creature level, they were like a drop in the ocean.
He was powerless to prevent what was happening before him.
Therefore, the only thing Shaya could do was to recreate the scene of the ancient Dragon Royal Court with the “Wheel of Fate.”
He wanted to give the golden ancient dragon a good dream as it passed away.
“You used the World Tree’s blessing with your last strength before dying, leaving me with a debt of gratitude.”
“Despite being a dragon, your calculations run deep… more like a human than a dragon.”
He smiled, the silver hue in his eyes receding.
“But your calculations have gone awry.”
With Shaya’s nature, once an agreement was made, he would fulfill it.
It didn’t matter whether the golden ancient dragon sent him this favor or not; nothing would change.
His gaze shifted, then fell upon the Nocturne Egg.
“The child of the Dragon King?”
He stepped forward and gently reached out, touching the dragon egg as if it were enshrouded by the night.
As Shaya’s palm made contact, faint starlight rippled across the thin veil of night.
Shaya bit his finger.
Then, he let the crimson liquid flow down his fingertip, dripping onto the Nocturne Egg.
Drip.
Drip.
Within the rings of starlight, his blood outlined a crimson scale pattern.
This was different from the contracts Shaya had signed before.
In the past, he had signed master-servant contracts. This time, the scale pattern represented an “Equal Contract.”
After all, this was a posthumous entrustment from the golden ancient dragon.
The terms of the exchange were for him to take good care of the Dragon King’s child, not to rule over it.
Compared to master-servant contracts, where the master held absolute advantage and could even order the servant to commit suicide without resistance, the parties in an equal contract were more like close allies.
Their souls would be more tightly linked, and they would both benefit from the Soul Pact’s enhancements.
However, the mandatory binding force of a master-servant contract was absent.
The crimson scales suddenly erupted with dazzling light.
Immediately after, Shaya felt the thin veil of night slowly enveloping him.
Tendrils of gloomy spiritual energy extended from the Nocturne Egg.
In the Spirit World, they made contact with the grey-black mist that symbolized Shaya’s spirit, with a hint of curiosity and probing.
Following that, the grey mist, representing Shaya’s spiritual symbol, slowly intertwined and wove together with the night, adorned with starlight.
Simultaneously, the pathway of the Soul Pact began to be constructed through the collision and mutual erosion of their spiritual symbols.
This was the first time Shaya had experienced such a complex and arduous contracting process.
Even with Shaya’s current soul strength, having achieved Spiritual Ocean, the contract’s progress was still extremely slow. The grey mist continuously eroded, only advancing a small amount within the night.
Although he had previously contracted with the Quicksilver Snake, that fellow was a disgrace to the mythical realm, possessing no combat power or mass. The contracting process was no more difficult than contracting a kitten.
But the ancient dragon egg before him was a genuine Mythical Species, not comparable to the disgraceful Quicksilver Snake.
If not for Shaya using ten years in Eden to cross the boundary of the Throne, ordinary Legendary Beast Tamers could only contract up to Mythical rank familiars, and would not be qualified to contract a Mythical Creature.
Shaya remained still, sensing the Soul Pact pathway being constructed little by little.
Meanwhile, Yui, in the form of a metallic fairy, had flown out at some point, flapping her wings.
A faint beam of light reflected in her eyes, scanning the surrounding ruined landscape.
After all, this was once the Dragon Royal Court. Even though all its mysteries and the power of the World Tree branches had been depleted, it was still quite valuable for archaeological research.
One could only say that the First Era was indeed the First Era.
Although he had only been in the Historical Echo for less than a day, Shaya’s gains were already substantial.
He had learned about the Calamity of Light, the secrets of the Dragon Royal Court, and the truth behind Beast Tamer contracts.
Originally, Shaya had been puzzled as to why humans in this world had developed a transcendent system primarily based on Beast Tamers.
But now, it seemed that the original origin of Beast Tamers must have been due to the Calamity of Light brought about by the Fallen Sun.
It forced the transcendent beings who once dominated the Western Continent to contract with humans in order to resist the madness and chaos brought by the Fallen Sun.
The feedback from the Soul Pact also gave humans, who lacked sharp claws, fangs, or long lifespans, the capital to contend with those powerful races.
Later, as the influence of the Fallen Sun gradually waned, the familiars also realized the benefits of progressing through Soul Pacts, and with the rise of human status, the Beast Tamer system was passed down.
*Niiing—*
The dragon egg trembled slightly.
Faint starlight sprinkled down, emitting a soft hum.
At the same time, Shaya also sensed that the pathway between the grey mist and the night in the Spirit World had suddenly been opened.
The crimson scale symbol projected into his eyes.
The Equal Contract was established.
Immediately after, all anomalous sounds and light dimmed, returning to tranquility.
Shaya once again turned his gaze to the dragon egg.
However, compared to before, when his vision was obscured by the night and he couldn’t clearly see the dragon egg’s true form.
This time, with the Soul Pact that had been established, Shaya could clearly perceive the heartbeat of the ancient dragon within the deep night and starlight.
At first, it was just a faint tremor.
But then, the sound grew louder and louder, causing even the brilliant starlight to tremble.
The next instant—
*Crack.*
A clear crack appeared on the dragon egg.
Following that, the cracks rapidly spread and expanded.
The faint night shattered.
A slender and elegant black dragon, bathed in starlight and shadow, curiously opened its crimson-gold dragon eyes and surveyed the human before it.
Although it was merely a newborn hatchling, with the bloodline talent of the ancient dragon race, the young dragon already possessed intelligence comparable to an ordinary human.
And because of the Soul Pact, this black-haired human felt intimately connected, involuntarily developing a sense of closeness.
It let out a soft whimper and affectionately nudged Shaya’s palm.
At the same time, a light blue screen slowly appeared in Shaya’s mind.
[Nickname: Unnamed]
[Species Name: Dragon of Darkness]
[Soul Pact Status: Fourth Soul Pact (Equal Contract: Shaya Egut)]
[Combat Level: 63 (Tier 6)]
[Racial Level: Mythical Species]
[Familiar Skills: Eternal Night, Shadow Master, Crown of Secrecy, World Tree’s Blessing, Eternal Slumber, Curse of Calamity]
“As expected of a genuine Mythical Species. It’s already Tier 6 combat level just after hatching, equivalent to those Emperor Rank familiars.”
Looking at the panel that could only be described as luxurious, Shaya couldn’t help but sigh with genuine emotion.
One could only say, comparing beasts is enough to make beasts furious.
No comparison, no harm.
*Achoo—*
A certain Level 5 snake in the Soul Pact Space sneezed and shook its tail in confusion.
…
“That felt good.”
Shaya reached out.
Then, under the bewildered gaze of the Dragon of Darkness, he picked it up.
Watching the young dragon curiously look around in his arms, its thin veil of night and shadow swaying with its crimson-gold dragon eyes without any resistance, Shaya felt a sense of fulfillment, like a dream come true.
As a true Beast Tamer, who hadn’t fantasized about contracting a dragon?
He had previously been quite envious of the Black Scale Lesser Dragons unique to the Empire’s Breeding Institute.
He had even considered asking his second wife, Isadorella, for one if he had the chance, as a dowry from Her Majesty the Empress to the Imperial Prince.
However, now, Shaya no longer needed to envy the Black Scale Lesser Dragons.
After all, no matter how powerful a Black Scale Lesser Dragon was, it was still just a lesser dragon. How could it compare to a pure-blooded ancient dragon?
“Frankly, I, Shaya, have always had a dream.”
“That one day—”
“I will become a glorious Dragon Knight.”
Shaya looked at the slender and elegant little Dragon of Darkness in his arms and spoke earnestly.
Or rather, this could be said to be every man’s dream.
Of course, they had signed an Equal Contract, not a Master-Servant Contract.
Therefore, theoretically, Shaya could not force the Dragon of Darkness to do anything.
However, Shaya had long since thought of a solution for this.
Isn’t it just about increasing affection?
It’s just a little dragon that has just hatched. Although it possesses intelligence comparable to humans, it is ultimately inexperienced.
Or rather, he would be its father and mother.
Once he raised it with all sorts of delicious food and benefits, and maxed out the little Dragon of Darkness’s affection…
Then, asking to ride it would be a piece of cake, right?
“So, little dragon, you must grow up quickly.”
“Your current small body can’t bear my weight yet. If I were to ride you, I’d be crushed.”
Shaya petted the little Dragon of Darkness in his arms, his voice filled with sincerity.
Speaking of which, this was the biggest challenge to his Dragon Knight plan.
The lifespan and growth cycles of ancient dragons were on a completely different level from humans.
According to the golden ancient dragon, this little Dragon of Darkness had been in the egg stage for nearly a thousand years.
From the fall of the Throne at the beginning of the Cataclysm Era and the collapse of the Dragon Royal Court, until now, the little Dragon of Darkness had finally completed its gestation and hatched.
Who knew how many years it would take for the little Dragon of Darkness to grow from infancy to youth, and then to adulthood.
Estimating based on the dragon egg’s cycle, it would likely take at least two to three complete eras.
Even if familiars could accelerate their growth by consuming various Extraordinary Materials, given the Dragon of Darkness’s Mythical Species status, the rarity of Extraordinary Materials that could affect it would likely be on the same level as ancient dragons.
“Sigh—”
Shaya sighed and stroked the little Dragon of Darkness’s head.
“I don’t know if I’ll have the chance to be your Dragon Knight in my lifetime.”
“It would be too regrettable if the lifespan boomerang came back to hit me, wouldn’t it?”
“Oh right, I haven’t given you a name yet.”
Shaya looked at the faint veil of night surrounding the young dragon in his arms, his voice gradually softening.
“Looking at your skill panel, you seem to have authority related to darkness…”
“Are these authorities inherited from your mother?”
He recalled the image projected by the Wheel of Fate, the Lord of the Dragon Royal Court who sat on the throne, serene and gentle.
“Then I’ll call you…”
“Night.”
…
“Master actually gave a normal name this time? Am I still dreaming?”
“Hmph, when did you get the illusion that I didn’t use Tsukuyomi?”
“Incredible, I suspect Master has been possessed by some old monster.”
“No matter who you are, please stay with our Master for a while longer!”
In the Soul Pact Space, Yin, Shanshan, Chihong, and Yui looked on in shock.
Master’s naming this time wasn’t crazy!
Could the Fallen Sun’s corruption actually be affecting Master, driving him half-mad?
At this moment, the slender little black dragon paid little attention to the clamor transmitted from the Soul Pact.
It simply curled up in Shaya’s arms, feeling the faint warmth transmitted to it.
Night… was it?
And also—
“Dragon Knight.”
Although it didn’t know the exact meaning of these words, the little black dragon clearly sensed Shaya’s expectation of becoming a Dragon Knight from his words.
In that case—
Then I will definitely make Shaya the happiest, most perfect Dragon Knight in the world!
Night secretly etched its life’s creed into the depths of its soul.
