The Shadow Beast gave Eric a few minutes to rest before the shadows yanked him off the ground and placed him on the wolf’s back.
The beast raced through the forest at a speed Eric could endure.
It didn’t want its human cargo to suffocate before reaching its destination.
After all, it had been ordered to bring him back alive.
They spent most of their time moving, stopping only periodically to give Eric something to eat.
After a week of traveling, the wolf finally stopped in front of a lake.
Or was it a lake?
The entire surface radiated so much mana that Eric suspected the water itself was liquefied mana.
A few seconds later, something stirred beneath the surface.
A bright-blue dragon emerged from the water, lightning crackling around her enormous serpentine body.
Her golden eyes, with black oval pupils, gazed down at them with a cold, assessing stare.
Eric’s knees buckled.
Before he even realized what he was doing, he was face-down on the ground, prostrating himself before the dragon.
The demonic wolf had been terrifying.
But this dragon…
She was straight-up divine.
The wolf bowed as well, though its posture was far less exaggerated than Eric’s.
Even without words, Eric could sense the reverence it held for the creature before them.
When the wolf finally spoke, its deep voice had lost every trace of its former arrogance.
“Greetings, Mistress of Storms.
I have brought the human child you sent for.” Silence followed.
The dragon continued to stare at Eric, examining him.
He felt completely naked beneath that piercing gaze.
Neither he nor the wolf dared to move.
Even the slightest movement felt like it might anger the dragon.
Then, a sweet female voice suddenly resounded through their minds.
“You can go, Night Hunter.
Leave the child to me.” Only then did the wolf dare to raise its head.
“Thank you, Mistress of Storms.” Its voice carried something dangerously close to worship.
The next moment, its body dissolved into the shadows and disappeared.
Eric prostrated himself for a few minutes before finally daring to speak.
“M-Mistress of Storms…
why does a frail mortal like me deserve to stand in your divine presence?” Eric was shaking all over, sweat streaming down his body like a river.
Then, suddenly, he felt the overwhelming aura withdraw.
His body relaxed, and he finally managed to draw air into his lungs.
“Raise your head, child.
I will not harm you,” she said in a slightly amused tone.
Eric slowly stood up, but he didn’t dare look her in the eyes.
Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on the lower parts of her body.
“You know, it is inappropriate for humans to worship beasts of their own element.
It is usually the other way around, since humans are innately superior,” she said in a calm, motherly voice.
“How so?” Eric dared to ask.
“In case you haven’t noticed, humans are the only ones who truly become one with their element.
We usually gain control over our elements earlier than humans do.” She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing.
“But we are not fused with them on a deeper level.
That is why we are incapable of reaching the divine ranks.” Eric was stunned.
The information dump was so overwhelming that he needed several minutes to process everything he had just heard.
Eventually, a confused expression appeared on his face.
The dragon noticed immediately.
“What is wrong, child?
Did I not simplify it enough?
Judging by the analytical skills you displayed earlier, this should be easy for you to understand.” Her tone was so soft and patient that Eric finally allowed himself to look directly into her eyes.
The moment he did, his body staggered backward.
A sharp pain shot through his eyes, and blood began to trickle down his cheeks.
Eric quickly wiped it away, reminding himself not to look directly at such a powerful existence.
Then he asked the question that had been bothering him.
“You said something about beasts being able to control their elements earlier than humans.
Please, can you clarify?” At first, the dragon didn’t answer.
She simply stared at him, deliberately leaving him in suspense before eventually responding.
“Do you remember the first beast you encountered after entering the forest?” Eric nodded.
“What was its ability and rank?” she asked.
“It had some kind of plant control, and I’m fairly sure it was an Awakened beast,” he answered, trying to follow the conversation.
“Having the ability to control plants is a common trait among plant-type beasts.
But an Awakened human would not be able to do that until they reached Ascension.” She paused briefly before continuing.
“Instead, they would become one with their element, causing their body to gradually take on characteristics similar to that element.” Eric now understood the basics of the cultivation system, but one question still remained.
Why had the dragon summoned him?
“Thank you for the enlightenment, Great Mistress, but I still don’t understand why you summoned me.
Surely a great beast like you has more important things to do than lecture a mere Dormant human like me.” He tried his best to sound respectful.
The dragon stared at him for a moment before finally speaking.
“Let’s make a deal.” “A deal?” Eric was confused.
What could he possibly offer such a mighty being?
“I will allow you to cultivate right where you stand.
No beast will dare harm you while you’re under my protection.” Eric’s eyes widened.
That alone was an incredible opportunity.
“But in return, you will find something for me.” Eric hesitated.
“What could I possibly find that someone like you can’t get on your own?” The dragon said nothing.
Instead, she turned toward the lake and dove beneath its surface.
A moment later, the water became still once again.
Eric stood frozen on the shore, staring at the lake in confusion.
“What exactly does she want me to find?” Little did Eric know, this request would change his fate.