Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 969: Chapter 968: The Beginning of a Turn in the Situation

For half a minute, Gawain quietly looked at Melita, and Melita quietly looked at Gawain.

The former had a face of bewilderment, the latter a face of perplexity.

Eventually, Gawain was the first to react. His mouth twitched slightly, and he subconsciously pointed at Melita’s pale purple long hair: ”Dragons don’t have hair, how is it that you...”

”Our human form is a spell effect, and a spell effect can naturally become anything—I became like this simply because I like it this way,” Melita said with an air of self-evidence, while pointing to the top of her head, ”The dragon form is my true form—I grow scales, where would the hair come from?”

Gawain: ”That... is indeed well-grounded reasoning...”

Melita thought for a moment and kindly added: ”It seems your friend will be disappointed—Talronde won’t have such products and technology, but if you insist, the closest industry we have is scale polishing and dyeing, implantation technology, which is a form of beauty treatment. If your friend doesn’t mind, he might try implanting a layer of scales, with multiple colors to choose from, and his scalp could then be protected from sword slashes...”

Gawain couldn’t detect even a trace of joking on this agent lady’s face—evidently, she was quite serious. However, Gawain himself spun an image in his mind, and a dragon-scaled scalp version of Soldrin appeared, causing him to shiver coldly and shake his head repeatedly: ”Forget it, forget it, he is already... hmm, bright enough.”

Actually, on a second thought, he found Melita’s suggestion had a certain allure. If not considering aesthetics, having an implanted synthetic scale for a bulletproof head indeed has high practical value. A true strong person should not mind this; however, his agreement was useless—importantly Soldrin likely couldn’t accept such a notion...

Realizing that increasingly bizarre associations were forming in his mind, Gawain decided to end this awkward topic.

”We have stayed in Talronde for several days now,” he suddenly said, ”Maybe in a few days, we should leave.”

”So soon?” Melita widened her eyes in surprise, ”You can absolutely stay here for more days—hosting guests is no small affair for Talronde.”

”But the Cecil Clan still cannot operate for long without an emperor present; we have been away from the Loren Continent for too long,” Gawain shook his head, ”The feast must end eventually.”

”The feast must end eventually... an interesting saying. The Cecil Clan often claims their emperor is a master of creating many wonderful sentences, and it seems there’s truth in that,” Melita blinked and said with a smile.

Gawain didn’t need to inquire to know that behind this was inseparable from someone’s secret compiling of the ”Emperor’s Holy Words Collection”...

He coughed lightly, then continued: ”Although already planning to leave, honestly, there are many things I haven’t yet understood... like about the chaotic wave, about the Dragonkin resisting the chaotic wave way, and about the signal we once received... You should remember, I asked you to help investigate whether that mysterious signal was related to Talronde, and now I feel that such a deeply accumulated Talronde should know more secrets behind that signal, but these things... I can’t directly inquire with your god.”

Melita’s expression became slightly serious: ”Because these things easily involve specific technology.”

”One cannot acquire technical or technological knowledge from the gods, and if possible, it’s best not to ask at all,” Gawain nodded, ”I don’t mind inquiring about old histories or secrets irrelevant to human society from the Dragon God, as we can see them as stories, but the chaotic wave and the signal, these things I really dare not ask it.”

”These questions...I also need to apply to my superior to determine whether I can discuss them with you,” Melita hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, ”But there are certain things I can tell you, they are about why Talronde can calmly undergo one chaotic wave after another...”

At this point, she paused and pointed upward.

”You might have already guessed it—Talronde Great Shield, our largest protective barrier. It is key to Dragonkin surviving safely in the chaotic wave.”

Talronde Great Shield...

Gawain subconsciously pinched his brow; this was indeed a thought he had before. He considered that Dragonkin’s technology to resist the chaotic wave must relate to that shield, yet this could not explain one issue—

”Even though the Great Shield can protect life on the Talronde Continent during the chaotic wave, how do you successfully adapt to the drastically changed world outside the shield after the chaotic wave ends? Of course, I am not referring to Gondor’s experience of the small chaotic wave here, but the great chaotic wave that truly affects the entire world,” he asked with a furrowed brow, ”After the great chaotic wave, the magic rules of the world would be reset, and many materials become unfamiliar, yet you can still live safely after leaving the Great Shield... is it only relying on the dragon’s powerful physique?”

Listening to Gawain’s words, Melita suddenly showed an unusual expression, her gaze fell on him for quite a while, then uncertainly asked: ”I want to know, who revealed to you that after the great chaotic wave, the magic rules, and the form and nature of numerous materials throughout the world are altered?”

From the other’s demeanor, Gawain sensed something odd, his expression turned earnest: ”The sea demons revealed this information to us—like you, they have observed this world for millions of years, and Cecil’s connection with sea demons is closer than with Talronde, so previously our knowledge about the chaotic waves, black traps, Inversion Tide, etc., came from sea demons. You mean... are the sea demons’ data about the great chaotic wave false?”

”...no, they didn’t deceive you; that indeed is the world as they see it. A chaotic wave arrives, indeed overturning the entire world, but I think your understanding...” Melita said with a strange expression, yet she suddenly paused halfway through, then immediately dropped her cup and painfully held her chest, all subsequent words replaced by a series of low growls and gasps.

Gawain was startled: ”Are you alright?!”

Melita struggled to breathe for a long time before finally somewhat recovering, she leaned against the side of the bar counter, raising her head slowly, her face pale and complex as she gazed at Gawain: ”I truly didn’t expect that chatting about some casual topics at home would end like this...”

Gawain: ”So just now...”

”The gods warned me... not to discuss this topic further with you,” Melita said weakly, ”Sorry, I can’t assist you.”

Gawain’s demeanor began to turn serious. Although Melita only spoke half, it already stirred a considerable ripple in his heart. He faintly felt as though he had grasped something, and his thoughts involuntarily stretched out. Seeing the agent lady exhibiting pain after being directly warned by the gods, the information revealed behind this topic made him especially attentive!

Could human understanding of the ”great chaotic wave” be flawed? Are sea demons’ intelligence not entirely accurate? Will research on chaotic waves face new breakthroughs? Where is the breakthrough direction? Dragonkin technology, or sea demons’ intelligence?!

He felt his breathing become a bit rapid, whereas Melita managed to stand steadily against the bar counter after swaying briefly, then showed an apologetic look to Gawain: ”Sorry, I can’t keep you company, I need to go back to do some... small health checks...”

”I should be the one apologizing,” Gawain promptly stood up too, with a face of sincere apology, ”If it wasn’t for my careless opening...”

”No, no one can predict when the chain might suddenly tighten around the neck, no one can predict when the walls will appear... the Dragonkin are already used to it,” Melita Ponia gave a pale smile, shook her head, and wobbly turned to leave, but suddenly stopped. She looked back at Gawain, hesitated for a moment, and said, ”Although I cannot continue to discuss with you, I think... the gods are trying to remind us of something through this.”

Gawain reflected, ”Remind us?”

Melita Ponia took a deep breath, ”He doesn’t want you to get the answer directly from me, which suggests that this answer may be... very special, very important... perhaps it must be solved by yourselves and not with any external help.”

After saying this, she closed her eyes slightly and slowly turned towards the exit of the room.

Her final words reached Gawain’s ears, ”I will try to retrieve some follow-up data on the signals I reported last time when I return—perhaps this time, with the request of a ’noble guest’ like you, my application will be approved.”

Melita Ponia left, leaving Gawain alone standing in the large room. He furrowed his brow several times before relaxing it, and in his contemplation, he began to pace slowly around the room.

...

The gods went to rest, His avatar disappeared from the splendid royal temple, returning to some kind of transcendental state beyond mortal perception.

Heragor, however, still stood respectfully before the throne, with hands lowered as if waiting for orders.

He knew, though the gods had left, the gaze of the gods remained, always watching—countless eyes never restlessly observing this ancient land. Under their scrutiny, every member of the Dragonkin must live cautiously. He must guard this place according to the duties of a high-ranked Dragon Priest until the time specified by the edict.

He stood this way for an unknown duration, finally standing long enough as the doctrine stipulated.

The gods were still resting, and it might be a long time before the next summoning. The Dragon Priest was temporarily at leisure.

Heragor raised his head and without hesitation walked out of the royal temple Hall—his pace neither fast nor slow, but gradually surrounded by a faint glow. He walked into the depths of this glow, and in the next second, found himself deep within the magnificent palace where the Five Kings Council was situated.

Chairman Andar was startled from his semi-sleep state; he heard the voice of Omega resonating in his mind, ”Chairman, the high-ranked Dragon Priest Heragor wishes to meet you.”

Andar’s mechanized eye contracted a bit, and he said in a deep voice, ”...Let him in.”

”The high-ranked Priest is not online—he is outside your door.”

Andar became completely alert, his head moved slightly, and the cables and pipelines connecting his body emitted subtle sounds of liquid flowing; it took two seconds before he spoke, ”Alright, let him in—temporarily decline other visitors.”

The mechanical door leading to the ”Throne of the Mind” Hall automatically opened, and Heragor stepped inside. The high-ranked Dragon Priest raised his head, looking at the elderly dragon, whose body bore traces of mechanical modifications, stationed on the platform ahead, and nodded slightly, ”It’s a pleasure to see you’re still healthy, dear Chairman.”

”High-ranked Priest, it’s rare for you to personally step into the Council Headquarters instead of delivering messages directly through the Omega network,” the implant components on Andar’s head gleamed with a faint glow, his voice resonated throughout the Hall via loudspeakers, ”Is there something of importance you need to communicate in person?”

”The God is resting, He decreed to temporarily cancel the century’s patrol plan for Kaldor and More, the originally assigned Farwalker group is to disband on site and remain on standby in Talronde.”

”Why?” Andar couldn’t help but ask immediately.

”There is no why,” Heragor said lightly, ”Just execute it.”

Andar’s gaze fell upon Heragor, and after a few seconds of staring, he withdrew his gaze and spoke in a deep voice, ”...I understand.”

Yet, after delivering the ”divine decree,” the high-ranked Dragon Priest did not leave, still standing quietly in place.

”Is there something else?” Andar couldn’t help but ask.

”The second matter—”

Heragor said lightly, then took out a small talisman from his pocket—crafted from an unknown metal, its silver-white surface shimmered with starry glimmers, yet it seemed insubstantial, its edges constantly presented a faint translucence. It hovered almost weightlessly in the Dragon Priest’s hand, more like a ”projection” forcibly dragged from another spacetime by some power rather than an object existing in the physical world.

Upon seeing the talisman, Andar instinctively missed a beat in his breathing, and the next second, he saw Heragor decisively crush the ethereal ”talisman projection.”

”Heragor! You—” the Chairman couldn’t help but shout, his upper body shook, resulting in the clatter of countless pipelines and cables, and even the crystal screens around the Hall, displaying various data, instantly became filled with chaotic ripples.

”The second matter,” Heragor repeated once more, the fragments of the talisman gradually dispersed into the air, ”From now on, for the next three minutes, we are outside the sight of the gods.”

The last bit of talisman fragment entirely vanished in the air.

Andar sat high on his Throne of the Mind, as still as a sculpture, observing Heragor standing below.

In over a million years, he once again felt his heart pounding.