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Chapter 105: Level-6 Magic Scroll… Fire Dragon Spell

After a brief daze, Ashura snapped back to reality and calmly withdrew his right hand.

He cursed his own uselessness, wondering how a single glance at those eyes could captivate him; he was no inexperienced country bumpkin.

Luna’s face flushed again and again, yet she still insisted on locking gazes with Ashura.

Ashura’s eyes started to dodge a little; she remembered that Grandpa War Tree had urged her not to miss the chance if she ever met him.

Therefore Luna wanted more contact with him and worried about him entering the canyon, so she readily decided to follow him inside.

Whether they killed a level-6 beast or not mattered less; what mattered was staying by his side, for she still knew nothing about him.

Everyone watched the freshly shaken hands with amused expressions, and Ashura coughed in embarrassment before turning to Jella and asking, “Beautiful mage, are you willing to venture into the canyon with us?”

Jella did not rush to answer; instead she gave Luna, whose face brimmed with expectation, a meaningful look and sighed inwardly.

She said shyly, “I’d like to go, but I’m a frail mage and I fear I’d drag you down; if you can protect me, Ashura, then I’ll join you.”

Jella had meant it as teasing, yet Ashura nodded solemnly and said, “Very well, I guarantee your safety; even if we cannot slay the Red-Lotus Serpent King, I will still get you out intact.”

The sudden promise stunned Jella for quite a while; countless men had sworn eternal love before her and she was sick of it, never taking such honeyed words seriously.

Yet Ashura’s vow made her feel inexplicably at ease, as though he could definitely fulfill it.

Regaining her senses, Jella licked her rosy lips and replied, “Then I’ll join; remember you promised to protect me.”

As she spoke, she extended her soft, fair hand toward Ashura; he grinned and clasped it, only to feel her little finger lightly tickle his palm.

A ripple spread through Ashura’s heart and he vowed inwardly that this vixen would pay later, while outwardly they both looked utterly proper, as if sealing a sacred pact.

The most awkward person now was Gais; of the seven team members he alone dared not enter the canyon, and the proud man felt vexed, especially after seeing Jella decide to go.

He shouted anxiously, “Then I’ll go too… I can protect Jella!”

To his surprise, Ashura shook his head and said, “Gais, I don’t look down on you, but the canyon is a fight to the death; your resolve is wavering, and I can’t gamble the others’ lives, so I refuse to let you in.”

“Brat, what did you say? How dare you belittle me?” Enraged, Gais silently chanted a spell, ready to unleash his signature explosive fireball.

The others gasped and moved to stop him, but the magic flame in Gais’s hand died the moment it rose, for Ashura flashed forward, grabbed his throat, and hoisted him up.

The scene reminded everyone of White in the adventurer tavern, and Gais too recalled that the black-haired kid might smile all the time but would kill without hesitation.

Cold sweat poured from him; he struggled desperately, yet the hand on his neck allowed only muffled pleas.

Still smiling, Ashura said slowly, “I explained it clearly, but you won’t listen; if you won’t fight with everything you have, why go in… so you can get us killed?”

“You may come, but believe me, if you hold back I’ll smash your kneecaps and throw you to the Red-Lotus Serpent King.”

“Whether we need a sure-kill chance or a decoy to stall the Red-Lotus Serpent King, you’re the perfect choice… are you satisfied with my plan?”

Gais’s hands dropped limp at his sides, and Ashura flicked his wrist and tossed him onto the grass, still beaming at him.

Gais retched and gasped on the ground while the others had no idea how to mediate; only Jella watched with excitement, as if two men were dueling for her favor.

After a long pause Gais rolled onto his back, stared blankly for a moment, then stood and brushed the dust from his clothes, as though he had forgotten his humiliation and regained his aristocratic mage poise.

Looking at the smiling black-haired youth before him, Gais quivered inwardly yet kept a calm face and said, “I’ve decided to enter the canyon with you, and I will fight with all my strength.”

Ashura merely tilted his head, his grin growing more playful, but he gave no answer.

Gais’s mouth twitched; with a sigh he drew a scroll from his space belt and said painfully, “This is my lifesaving treasure… a level-6 magic scroll, Fire Dragon Spell, equal to a full-power strike from a Grand Archmage.”

“If we use it to kill the Red-Lotus Serpent King, I want an extra share when we split the spoils… does anyone object?”

No sooner had he spoken than Ashura snatched the scroll with his right hand, draped his left arm over Gais’s shoulders, and said with exaggerated intimacy, “Brother Gais, why didn’t you say you had such a treasure? I was only joking… no hard feelings, right?”

While speaking, Ashura tossed the magic scroll to Jella; as long as she had mana she could activate it, so she could wield its power.

Gais wore a constipated expression and wanted to shrug off Ashura’s arm, but feeling the strength of that grip he gave up.

He forced a smile uglier than tears, and the others stifled their laughter in agony.

Ashura had not expected that bullying Gais would yield a bonus; the level-6 Fire Dragon Spell greatly boosted their odds of killing the Red-Lotus Serpent King.

As for why Gais had changed his mind, Ashura did not care; as long as he could kill Gais swiftly, everything stayed within his control.

Led by Ashura, the team held a brief tactical meeting to outline their approach should they decide to fight the Red-Lotus Serpent King.

Once everyone understood the plan, Ashura swept his arm grandly and shouted, “Show your full strength, everyone… slaying a level-6 beast will give us bragging rights in the adventurer tavern for life!”

“May the God of War be with us!”

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