Chapter 343: The Sincerity of the Tower of Time
Kai Xiusu stepped forward slowly, his draconic face contorting into a snarl of fury. Faint golden pupils flared with inner fire, and wisps of sulfurous smoke curled from between his jagged teeth.
"So... this is how you, Tower of Time, show your goodwill?"
"Sending a mere Time Mage to play the role of 'Dragon Slayer,' and then daring to stand before me like some insolent fool?"
"My apologies, King Kai Xiusu."
Despite the Red Dragon’s overwhelming menace, Talin Akmonde remained perfectly composed—his posture respectful, almost reverent. The Chrono Dragon even lowered his elegant neck slightly, a gesture of submission.
"This was not our design. It was fate’s accident. I, as Representative of the Tower of Time, extend my deepest apologies on behalf of Klein’s impudence."
"The future does not shift lightly. And Klein still holds a role in it—something you yourself must already know. You will not kill him."
Kai Xiusu narrowed his eyes, his gaze descending coldly upon the trembling human below.
"And if... I say I must kill him?"
Instantly, an oppressive, near-tangible aura of draconic power erupted around him. A bloodstained scent of slaughter filled the air, as if countless dragons roared in the void, freezing the very fabric of space.
"Please! Help me! He’s really going to kill me!"
Klein collapsed in terror, scrambling desperately toward the base of the mountain, his body writhing in panic.
The Chrono Dragon stepped forward swiftly, shielding the human. "King Kai Xiusu, you need not probe further. We will make amends—properly."
The draconic pressure vanished as abruptly as it had come. The aura of massacre dissipated like smoke, leaving Klein gasping in relief, trembling with the aftereffects of near-death.
A cruel smirk curled Kai Xiusu’s lips. "Good."
"But I do see the sincerity of the Tower of Time. After all, this is the life of a Legendary Mage. The price should be commensurate."
"You will be satisfied," Talin Akmonde replied solemnly.
The air around them warped violently. Before him appeared two objects—delicate and radiant: a meticulously crafted scroll, and an emblem carved with the image of a clocktower. Both pulsed with iridescent veins, as though time itself swirled across their surfaces like tidal currents.
"This is the Ninth-Ring Spell: Time Stop, penned by an ancient Chrono Dragon himself. Not some clumsy, error-ridden amateur effort by humans."
"And this is the emblem of the Tower of Time. When you focus your will into it, you will gain the aid of a Chrono Dragon—and any reasonable assistance from the Tower itself."
"Not enough. Far from it."
Kai Xiusu glanced at the floating artifacts, shook his head gently, and spoke with calm finality. "A single Ninth-Ring Spell. A blank check. That’s not enough to pay for the life of a Legendary Mage."
The Chrono Dragon seemed unsurprised. He extended his right claw, and an invisible force gripped Klein.
A golden pocket watch shot from the man’s chest, tumbling into the air. Klein lunged for it instinctively—
"No! My watch—!"
But the moment he met Kai Xiusu’s threatening gaze, he froze. With a pained grimace, he withdrew his hand, his face twisted with agony and despair.
"Yours now," Talin Akmonde said.
Kai Xiusu summoned a Force Field spell, suspending the golden pocket watch midair.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The hands ticked steadily, emitting a crisp, rhythmic sound. The face was etched with intricate magical circuits, still shimmering with the iridescent pulse of flowing time.
[You have obtained Gear: Legendary Artifact — 【Time Pocket Watch】]
【Time Pocket Watch】
Quality: Legendary
Creator: Roald Stefanovich
Description: A collection amassed by the ancient Chrono Dragon Roald Stefanovich—items tied to time, from common sundials and delicate pocket watches to bizarre, mechanically driven water clocks. Over centuries, he discarded and rediscovered them hundreds of times.
These relics were always kept near the breathing presence of a dragon. Over time, they absorbed the essence of time itself, becoming priceless artifacts.
"You say I abandoned my treasures? No. It is only for mortals that they seem lost. One day, they always return. But this pocket watch... perhaps not. —Roald Stefanovich"
Effects:
- 【Time Stop】 – Once per day
- 【Eternal Stasis】 – Once per day
- 【Breathe the Power of Time】: You possess fragments of a Chrono Dragon’s strength. Time-based spells have little effect on you.
【Time Stop】
Ninth-Ring Transmutation Spell
You accelerate your own time flow, making your actions nearly instantaneous—virtually consuming no time. The world around you freezes completely during the spell’s duration.
【Eternal Stasis】
8th-Level Transmutation Spell
Traps a non-rebellious being in a state of suspended animation. Time around them halts completely. All biological functions cease. During this time, the target cannot be harmed.
Kai Xiusu nodded in satisfaction. But after a pause, he tilted his head, his voice low and probing.
"Is this all the Tower of Time can offer?"
"Not enough. Not even close. If I kill that mage, this pocket watch still belongs to me. And you’ve given me nothing extra in return."
The Chrono Dragon fell silent, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he seemed utterly drained. He looked up at Kai Xiusu, then down at Klein with a cold, disdainful glare. Finally, he exhaled.
"Of course not."
"Six hundred thousand gold coins. We will deliver them to your palace within ten days. In return, we ask that you temporarily lift the surrounding magical suppression field."
Kai Xiusu gathered the precious relics into his grasp, then gave a satisfied nod. He even flared his wings slightly, a gesture of pride.
"Now that’s more like it. I see your sincerity at last. But—"
"King Kai Xiusu, our duties are pressing. There are matters to attend to. We shall not disturb you further. Farewell!"
Before Kai Xiusu could respond, Talin Akmonde spoke the farewell in a flash of speed, then vanished with Klein in a burst of teleportation magic—leaving behind only the faint distortion of warped space.
"Ah, I hadn’t even finished speaking."
"Indeed. Even a legendary Chrono Dragon is still just a dragon. Still clinging to that miserly essence."
Kai Xiusu did not move. He stood still, watching the lingering ripples in reality where the teleportation had ended.
"Future..."
"From the watch of that Chrono Dragon, my future doesn’t seem so bleak."
"But... is the future truly unchangeable? If so, then how did I—the one who alters fate—come to exist here?"
His golden eyes flickered faintly, lost in thought.
Roar.
A moment later, the Red Dragon let out a deep, thunderous bellow. With a brutal swipe of claw and fang, he tore open the space before him, forging a blazing portal of flame. Folding his wings, he plunged through—returning to his realm.
Compared to the distant, foggy uncertainty of the future, Kai Xiusu cared more for the tangible benefits within his grasp.
(End of Chapter)
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