Supreme Magus

Chapter 2274 More Than A Word (Part 2)

”Iʼm not one of them. I donʼt care about their stupid rules. As I told you in Verendi, we follow the Abomination way. We donʼt hide. We donʼt cower. Most importantly, we donʼt turn our back on our own.” Zoreth put her cup and the plate down before she crushed them with her grip.

”Are you telling me that you want to help me rescue Phloria?” Lith asked while Jirni and Orion held their breath.

”Sheʼs important to you so sheʼs important to me as well.” Zoreth nodded. ”If you need help teaching Thrudʼs cowardly Divine Runts a lesson and laying waste to her army, you just need to ask.

”When I call you my brother, itʼs more than a word to me. Iʼm with you.”

”We both are, if youʼd have me.” Bytra stared at the ground. ”Iʼm not as good as Zor at breaking stuff, but Solus and I make a great duo. My speed complements her strength and vice versa. Also, my assistants would help us.”

”What assistants?” Solus asked.

”I work mostly in the lab, not in the field. Nandi and Theseus are my assistants so they go where I go. I already asked them, and they agreed to help us. Nandi because he cares about Baba Yaga and Theseus to thank you for your help.”

Lithʼs lips curled in a cruel smile at the thought of four monster-Eldritch hybrids fighting by his side. Zoreth would more than double his destructive power, Bytra would become Solusʼ legs, and Nandi would allow them to use the full power of the tower even in the absence of a mana geyser.

As for Theseus, if he had finally gotten the blood madness under control and mastered his Meneos side, there was no telling how powerful he might have become. Yet something was off.

Zoreth was one of the most powerful creatures he had ever met, yet Lith could smell her worry.

”I canʼt speak for Solus, but I donʼt need time to think. Iʼm grateful for your offer and I accept it.” Lith replied.

”Me too.” Solus nodded. ”I donʼt know if weʼll ever be friends, Bytra, but Iʼve already forgiven you. Being close is still awkward for me, but I donʼt want to spend the rest of my life in fear. I must face my demons, just like you.”

”Not so fast.” Zoreth raised her hand, asking them to let her speak. ”There are two things that I need to make clear before sealing our alliance. First, even though thereʼs nothing that Iʼd love more than be your shadow and fight this war until the end, I have a job to do.

”I canʼt go down into the details but just know that if not for me, the Undead Courts would have screwed the Kingdom already. Thereʼs no point in winning a few battles together just to lose more ground than we gain.

”Iʼll be there for you whenever Iʼm free and if you call me when Iʼm not, Iʼll do my best to reach you as fast as I can.”

Lith understood her position and nodded for her to continue.

”Second, you must realize the consequences of your choice. Until this moment, Iʼve always operated in the shadows. The Kingdom has no idea who the mysterious Shadow Dragon is because my only public appearance was back when Night attacked Zinya.

”Once I become a constant presence on the battlefield, it will only be a matter of time before someone recognizes my real form. At that point, you wonʼt be the Supreme Magus calling upon a mystical Dragon.

”Youʼd be a crazy man who sides with an infamous butcher. If people saw you acting all friendly towards an Eldritch, theyʼll consider you just as bad. Your reputation might go down the drain and with it the respect you worked so hard to gain back.

”Are you sure this is what you want?” Zoreth asked.

”Three years ago, I made Phloria a promise.” Lith replied. ”I told her that the moment she needed me, Iʼd discard my duty and my honor if it was what I needed to do in order to be by her side in her time of need.

”I intend to uphold that promise. I donʼt give a damn about my reputation or about what a bunch of strangers thinks about me. I can rebuild my reputation, but I canʼt bring back a dead friend.

”I accept your help.” Lith offered the Eldritches his hand and they shook it. ”Just one question, what about your father?”

The whole conversation had happened in front of Jirni and Orion. They had met Zoreth several times at Vastorʼs home.

”Donʼt worry, Dad gave us his blessing. He is so enraged for the kidnapping of a student of the White Griffon whoʼs also your apprentice that he would join us if only he could.” The Shadow Dragon said.ｆ𝘳e𝒆w𝗲𝐛𝓃𝐨νel.cｏ𝘮

”As for your friends here, they are his friends too. Dad said that Jirni has been poking around to discover the source of his strength for a while now and that itʼs only a matter of time before she finds out.

”Well, Lady Ernas, now you know. We are the answer you have been looking for.” She pointed at herself, Bytra, and Tezka.

Suddenly the return of the Suneater and his care for Zinyaʼs children made sense. Jirni dug up in her memory, recognizing the Fourth Ruler of the Flames and Rune Magus.

Despite her years of training, her knees would have buckled at the idea of sharing the room with so many legends at the same time. Luckily for Jirni, she was already sitting so her reaction looked as stoic as her face.

”Tell your father that I wonʼt betray his secret as long as he doesnʼt betray mine.” Jirni nodded. ”I donʼt even care if I turn into his accomplice. Just bring my daughter back.”

”We will do our best.” Bytra said. ”Weʼll break every single law of the Kingdom if we have to.”

”Thank you.” Orion shook their hands. ”Iʼll be forever in your debt.”

He didnʼt care about his honor or the nature of his unexpected benefactors either. A trifling thing like morals could wait.

”Well then, you have my rune.” Zoreth stood up and moved toward the door. ”Sorry for leaving like this but the more work I do now, the more free time Iʼll have once you need me, Lith.”

”Same.” Bytra shapeshifted into a humanoid Raiju while her wife turned into a Dragon.

They left the house in the same way they had arrived to not raise suspicions about what had happened inside.

”Thank you very much, Lith.” Jirni said once she found the strength to stand up and sit at his side. ”What that woman said is true. Your reputation might take a huge blow yet you didnʼt hesitate to put it on the line for my Little Flower.

”Iʼll never forget what you did today. The promise you made to Phloria I now make it to you. Whenever you need me, whatever you need, just call me and Iʼll come.”

”And so will I.” Orion nodded while inwardly gritting his teeth.

ʼGods, I hate myself. Maybe if I didnʼt nag at Lith and Phloria so much, maybe today things would be different.ʼ Orion thought while looking at Kamila.