A week later, while chatting with Jibril, Riku suddenly froze, then stood up, his eyes flashing with resolve.
"Master, is something wrong?"
"Husband?"
"Riku...?"
Immediately, Jibril, Fia, and Schwi all looked at Riku in confusion. As for Think Nirvalen, she silently watched him as well.
After her kin had rested at the werebeast village, Riku had released them, telling them to go and gather the other elves. This surprised Think Nirvalen quite a bit; she'd expected him to keep everyone here, considering the impression of domineering control Riku had left on her. She was growing more and more curious about this man, wanting to know his secrets.
"I need to go somewhere. All of you, just wait for me here until I return," Riku swept his gaze around the group, then said with a grave face.
"Master, where are you going?" Jibril asked curiously.
"Husband, it's not right to shoulder everything alone," Fia said, full of concern.
"Riku said before always together with Schwi," Schwi said quietly.
"Actually, I fought with a dragonia not long ago, and now I want to try bringing the dragonia into our alliance. This time, I'm going to meet the Reginleif the Wise Dragon," Riku shook his head, then explained.
"What! The wise dragon!" At these words, Jibril, Fia, and Think Nirvalen all gasped. Even Schwi's expression stiffened.
"Ara ara, Master has already fought with a dragonia? Now, this makes me really curious! But, Master, going to meet the wise dragon isn't the safest move," Jibril first laughed with excitement, then grew serious.
"Husband, please be careful. While bringing the dragonia into our alliance would massively boost our strength, these negotiations are incredibly dangerous," Fia said, her face full of worry.
"Riku, if you're going, please take me with you," Schwi said suddenly, her words quite different from the others.
"This time, even the dragonia are involved?" Think Nirvalen's heart was in turmoil. "But those lofty dragonia, would they really ever join an alliance?"
"Don't worry, I'm pretty confident. Even if I can't bring the dragonia into the alliance, I'll still get out safely. And if they try anything, I won't mind eliminating them ahead of schedule," Riku said calmly.
"Eliminate the dragonia ahead of schedule...!" Hearing this, Think Nirvalen couldn't help but take a deep breath, staring at Riku in shock. She didn't know where he got such confidence.
Perhaps, before, she would have thought Riku was boasting, but after spending a week together, Think Nirvalen no longer believed he was the type to speak nonsense; he clearly had something up his sleeve.
"Heheh, so Master was still holding back even when fighting me. Now I'm even more curious!" Jibril had already thought of this, her eyes blazing with fanatic excitement. "Master, please take me this time, I want to witness your heroic glory!"
"Um..." Fia opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing. She wanted to go too, but needed to protect the others here.
Besides, Schwi, Jibril, and Riku all had spatial abilities escape would be easy. If she went along, she'd just slow them down.
Of course, she could ask Jibril to take her via teleport, but having to beg that crazy angel who was always fighting her over Riku would be even more painful than death.
"Alright, then." Hearing Jibril's words, Riku thought for a moment, then nodded. "In that case, Jibril and Schwi, come with me. Fia, you stay and protect our people. Think, you assist Fia."
"Yes, I understand. Husband, please be careful," Fia nodded seriously.
"Master, understood," Think Nirvalen replied, still a bit uneasy, but nodded all the same.
"Let's go, then."
Riku then shared the spatial coordinates with Jibril and Schwi.
In a flash, the three of them disappeared from the room, leaving Fia and Think Nirvalen silently exchanging glances.
Thousands of kilometres away, in a certain mountain valley, Riku and his companions appeared.
"As expected of the dragonia's nest, it's truly an astonishing sight," Riku surveyed the surrounding mountains reaching into the clouds and the dozen or so dragonia soaring through the sky, unable to help but praise the view.
"Riku, I didn't hear about anyone else coming..." At that moment, a white dragonia below Riku's feet spoke with clear annoyance.
That's right, the spatial coordinates Riku had set were on Zhuralis's horn, so the group was now standing on her head.
"Heheh, isn't that Zhuralis? Long time no see! I really want to fight you again," Jibril immediately teleported in front of Zhuralis's enormous dragon eye, her fighting spirit blazing.
"Hmph, so it's you, you damn Flügel. What are you doing here? And why are you so small now?" Zhuralis glared at Jibril, clearly annoyed. "You've gotten so weak, and you dare show up in front of me? You think I won't just eat you in one bite?"
"What a passionate welcome. But this time, I'm not here to challenge you, I'm here to accompany my master for alliance negotiations with the dragonia," Jibril shrugged, unfazed.
"With your master? Riku is your master? He beat you, too?" Zhuralis was taken aback, then suddenly realised, speaking in surprise.
"Oh? So it was you! I'd only heard Master fought a dragonia, but didn't realise it was you," Jibril replied with equal interest. "As you can see, I lost to Master and became his trophy. But because Master likes me in this childlike form, I've stayed like this."
"Trophy... he likes you childlike..." Zhuralis's gaze grew odd.
"Idiot Jibril, are you ruining my reputation again?" Riku couldn't take it anymore and stepped in front of Jibril, flicking her on the forehead with an exasperated look.
"Why do I get punished even when I'm telling the truth?" Jibril feigned a pitiful expression, grumbling in protest.
Of course, Riku ignored the act and just turned to Zhuralis.
"To have tamed this crazy Flügel, Riku, you really aren't simple. Still, it's probably only possible with her if it were any other, there'd be no chance at all," Zhuralis shook her head, sighing.
"Heh, after fighting you so many times, you really do know me well." Jibril suddenly became serious, her smile sly. "Compared to my interesting master, that God of War is just way too boring, just sitting there in a daze all day."
"You're the only one who'd dare talk about the God of War like that," Zhuralis shook her head slightly.
"…Ex-Machina…!" Just as Zhuralis was about to say something to Riku, she finally noticed Schwi, who had flown down beside Riku from atop her head. Zhuralis's huge dragon eyes narrowed, a surge of emotion rippling through her.
The Ex-Machina, though ranked tenth among the races, were a force that couldn't be ignored.
Their fearsome reputation was built on slaying Aranleif, the Ultimate Dragon, and seven subordinate dragonia.
Although it was Aranleif who provoked the Ex-Machina and was then killed, otherwise, as a race, the Ex-Machina typically only act in self-defence and rarely go out of their way to make trouble.
But, killed is killed. Right or wrong, there's bad blood between the dragonia and the Ex-Machina. As a follower of Reginleif, the Wise Dragon, Zhuralis herself didn't hold much of a grudge, but those of Aranleif's kin… not so much.
"Followers of Aranleif, huh…" Riku noticed Zhuralis's change in expression and immediately caught on, raising an eyebrow.
Looks like this visit won't go so smoothly after all.
"Yeah. We, as followers of Reginleif, the Wise Dragon, don't care too much about it, but the other dragons might not be so forgiving." Zhuralis said quietly.
"Riku, I'm sorry, it's my fault," Schwi said softly, her face full of guilt. Not just because she might hinder the alliance, but for other reasons as well...
"It's fine, I have my own plans." Riku shook his head, patting Schwi gently to reassure her.
"Hehehe, master, what's your plan?" Jibril asked, clearly excited. This situation didn't seem good at all.
"What can I do? If they cause trouble, I'll just beat them all down." Riku replied lightly.
"I suppose you won't interfere, right?" He turned to look directly at Zhuralis.
"Heh, handle it however you like. None of us will help. Just don't go overboard and kill them all." Zhuralis laughed.
"That's fine by me." Riku nodded in satisfaction.
"By the way, where's Reginleif, the Wise Dragon?" Riku remembered his main purpose and asked curiously.
"Lord Reginleif will take some more time to return. Last time I managed to contact him, it was pure luck." Zhuralis sighed.
"I see," Riku nodded, not surprised. The Wise Dragon's whereabouts were unpredictable. Honestly, he thought it'd take at least a month managing this in a week was already fast.
"Do you need me to show you around?" Zhuralis offered.
"No need, we'll wander on our own," Riku replied, his eyes flashing with intent.
He hadn't come just to talk about an alliance with the dragonia, but also to find two treasure chests, one diamond and one platinum.
He'd opened silver and bronze chests in the last few days, but they didn't contain anything good, which left him frustrated.
"In that case, I'll leave you be. Call me if you need anything." With a nod, Zhuralis flew off.
"Riku, where are we going now?" Schwi asked.
"Where? Treasure hunting, of course," Riku said, patting Schwi's head with a laugh.
"Treasure hunting? Is there something valuable here?" Jibril asked curiously.
"Well, that's a secret," Riku replied with a mysterious smile, heading towards the nearest platinum chest shown on his system map.
Schwi and Jibril could only follow him, full of curiosity.
Soon, the three arrived at a mountain that looked like a nest. There, Riku spotted the platinum chest and walked up to it with a grin.
Jibril and Schwi watched, confused, seeing nothing ahead.
Ignoring their confusion, Riku placed his hand on the chest.
Instantly, platinum light flashed, and the chest opened.
[Ding! Congratulations, you've opened a Platinum Chest and obtained a Contract Card.]
Contract Card: When someone outside drips blood on this card and swears loyalty, a special contract is formed. The master gains absolute control over their subordinate's life one thought, and life or death is decided.
After the contract, the master gains a random ability from their subordinate, and the subordinate's power grows as the master gets stronger.
Limit: Five.
"This is a bit overpowered," Riku said in admiration. If used well, it's mutually beneficial, but the control is absolute.
"All in all, not bad." Riku nodded in satisfaction.
"Riku, did you find something?" Schwi came closer, curious.
"Master, why didn't I notice anything?" Jibril looked around, confused.
"Don't think too much about it… Hmm? Looks like we have company," Riku said, pressing the heads of the two girls beside him while eyeing the sky sharply.
"Seems so, and they're pretty arrogant too," Jibril narrowed her eyes, smiling.
"Race confirmed: dragonia," Schwi stated quietly, watching the sky.
As they spoke, a wild wind howled, and a massive black figure blocked the sun above.
"Monkey. Flugel. And… Ex-Machina!" The giant black dragon looked down at Riku, Jibril, and finally fixed a deadly gaze on Schwi, his voice deep and menacing.
Instantly, the atmosphere turned heavy and tense.
"Such rude words. No wonder I hate all you followers of Aranleif," Jibril said coldly, looking up at the black dragon.
Zhuralis must have spread the word about Riku's power, but this black dragon still used slurs and looked down on them his attitude was clear.
"To ally with a monkey… Zhuralis must have lost her mind. And worse, she's following a monkey with an Ex-Machina, the ones we dragonia hate most." The black dragon glared at Schwi, its voice full of killing intent.
"So arrogant, no wonder you black dragons always end up so miserable. Truly a disgrace to Aranleif's name," Riku sneered.
"Monkey! You've angered me! Die here!" The black dragon's pupils contracted, roaring in fury, his voice shaking the heavens.