Chapter 146: A Magical Pet That Came Knocking on Its Own 1

“That’s right! And it’s the blood of a Three-Headed Golden Dragon, no less. Surprised?”

After weighing his options, Kent had decided that giving the dragon blood to the Dragon Turtle was the safest course of action. For one thing, magical beasts generally didn’t think in the same complicated ways humans did. Although they were intelligent creatures in their own right, humans were often regarded by other races as the very embodiment of cunning, treachery, and shamelessness.

That was simply one of the fundamental differences between intelligent species.

Still, since Kent had already taken out the vial, he intended to put on a good show.

The Dragon Turtle was practically beside itself with excitement. However, when it noticed Kent’s expression, suspicion crept into its mind.

“Why can’t I sense any dragon aura from it? You humans can’t be trusted.”

With that, the Dragon Turtle closed its eyes.

“Oh, really? So that’s how it’s going to be, huh? If you don’t believe me, then forget it! Do you have any idea how precious dragon blood is? I could easily trade this vial for the allegiance of several ninth-rank experts. Perhaps I should just leave and do exactly that.”

Kent was momentarily taken aback, but then a faint smile appeared on his face.

The Dragon Turtle’s rapid breathing had already betrayed how much it wanted that dragon blood. Kent knew perfectly well that the creature cared deeply about the vial, so he pretended to put it away, acting as though he genuinely intended to exchange it for the service of several powerful warriors.

“Hahaha! That’s ridiculous! Even if ten of your so-called human experts came at me together, I’d take care of them with a single slap!”

The Dragon Turtle possessed formidable mental powers, and it could see Kent’s every movement clearly. Although it was growing increasingly anxious, it knew better than to reveal how desperately it wanted the dragon blood.

Instead, it mocked Kent and extended one enormous foreleg, giving the ground a casual slap.

“Hmph!”

Kent snorted disdainfully.

Inwardly, however, he was practically jumping for joy.

That seemingly effortless slap had driven the ground two or three meters deep into the earth! Much of the cavern floor was composed of obsidian, yet countless cracks had spread through the surrounding rock from the impact.

And the Dragon Turtle hadn’t even used its full strength!

Kent was thoroughly impressed, but he made sure not to let it show on his face. He needed to make the Dragon Turtle back down a little. Otherwise, how was he ever going to keep this enormous fellow under control?

Of course, Kent wasn’t the sort of person who expected a horse to run at full speed without giving it any fodder.

Even though they were bound by a magical contract, genuine loyalty was far more valuable than forced obedience.

There was another important reason for his careful approach. Magical pets could betray their masters.

If the relationship between a mage and a magical pet deteriorated over time, the power of their contract could gradually weaken. Every year, several magical pets across the continent abandoned their masters, and even the Mage Guild had yet to determine the exact reason behind these defections.

One thing was certain, however: the magical pets that deserted their masters were always of a higher rank than the mages who had contracted them.

Kent had absolutely no intention of losing such an extraordinarily powerful bodyguard, especially one that had practically delivered itself into his hands.

“Hmph? What’s with that snort? There’s a world of difference between a ninth-rank magical beast and one at the very peak of the ninth rank! Forget ten opponents—even twenty wouldn’t stand a chance against me. And if I could absorb that dragon blood, even several dozen of them would be nothing!”

Despite its grand boasts, the Dragon Turtle clearly hadn’t forgotten about the dragon blood for even a moment.

Kent shot it a sidelong glance before asking in an unhurried voice, “And why exactly should I give you something so precious? Tell me, what do you have to offer in exchange?”

“I admit that dragon blood is incredibly precious, but... but... but I’m your magical pet! Don’t you want to take me out of here with you? With me by your side, your safety would be absolutely guaranteed!”

The Dragon Turtle was genuinely troubled by Kent’s question.

There was no need to explain how precious dragon blood was, especially when it came from a Three-Headed Golden Dragon, one of the royal bloodlines among dragons.

The combat power of a Three-Headed Golden Dragon was extraordinarily terrifying.

Its greatest advantage lay in its three heads. With all three capable of casting dragon magic independently, its spellcasting speed was effectively three times that of an ordinary dragon.

And what did that mean?

Any spell powerful enough to require a dragon to actually chant an incantation was, at the very least, on the level of a forbidden spell. Ordinary dragon magic, by contrast, could usually be cast instantly.

The Dragon Turtle desperately wanted the blood of a Three-Headed Golden Dragon. After hesitating for a long moment, it finally muttered its answer and came up with what could barely even be called an excuse to obtain the vial in Kent’s hands.

“You said it yourself!”

Kent’s eyes immediately lit up.

“You agreed to be my magical pet. If you go back on your word, then you don’t get the dragon blood. Don’t blame me for deceiving you later!”

That was exactly the answer Kent had been waiting for. The instant the Dragon Turtle finished speaking, he seized upon its words and refused to let the matter go.

The Dragon Turtle felt utterly depressed.

But there was nothing it could do.

Its lifespan was already nearing its end, and dragon blood wasn’t something one could simply stumble across whenever one pleased.

After thinking it over, the Dragon Turtle finally said, “As long as you give me the dragon blood, I will willingly remain your magical pet. I give you my word.”

“Here!”

Kent immediately tossed the vial of dragon blood toward it.

“If this isn’t enough, I’ll find a way to get you more.”

He spoke with complete confidence, almost carelessly.

Of course, if Kent had known that the Dragon Turtle would eventually consume nearly all of his dragon blood, whether he would still have made such a generous promise was another matter entirely.

The crystal vial floated in midair.

Suddenly, an enormous wave of mental power surged outward.

The pressure was so intense that Kent found even breathing difficult. He hurriedly picked Daphne up in his arms and retreated farther away.

Big Nose had already fled to a safe distance long ago.

All of this was caused by the overwhelming aura radiating from the Dragon Turtle.

Crack!

With a sharp sound, the extraordinarily durable crystal vial shattered instantly into countless fragments.

The mass of dragon blood remained suspended in the air.

A faint but unmistakable pressure slowly spread outward.

Kent’s eyelid twitched uncontrollably.

Just a small quantity of dragon blood already carried such terrifying natural pressure.

If he were standing before a living dragon, the sheer aura alone would probably be enough to make him suffer.

The Dragon Turtle felt the suppression coming directly from the depths of its soul.

Excitement immediately filled its enormous eyes, impossible to conceal.

Under the control of its mental power, the mass of dragon blood slowly drifted toward the center of its forehead.

At the same time, the Dragon Turtle’s expression became more solemn than Kent had ever seen before.

Kent watched every movement carefully.

This was the first time he had ever heard of bloodline fusion, much less witnessed it personally.

Back on Earth, everyone knew that incompatible blood types couldn’t simply be mixed together.

Although the words “Dragon Turtle” contained the word dragon, there was still an enormous difference between a Dragon Turtle and a true member of the dragon race.

Kent certainly didn’t want the magical pet he had only just acquired to die because of some failed bloodline fusion.

It wasn’t that he was worrying without reason.

The Dragon Turtle’s grave expression alone was enough to tell him that this process was far from simple.

A deep, rumbling sound suddenly emerged from the Dragon Turtle’s body.

The surrounding air began vibrating so violently that the distortions were visible to the naked eye.

Then a narrow fissure slowly opened in the middle of the Dragon Turtle’s forehead.

It was a third eye.

This was a unique feature possessed by mental-type magical beasts, and the mental attacks released through this third eye were also their most powerful.

The mass of dragon blood suddenly flew forward and entered the Dragon Turtle’s third eye.

In the next instant, a dense earthen-yellow radiance erupted across its entire body.

The light grew thicker and brighter until it almost formed a solid layer around the enormous creature.

The Dragon Turtle’s breathing became rapid and heavy.

“Damn, that’s powerful!”

The magical energy radiating from the Dragon Turtle was so overwhelming that Kent was forced to retreat several thousand meters.

All around him, ordinary beasts and magical beasts alike had fallen flat against the ground, trembling beneath the crushing pressure.

In the distance, the Dragon Turtle had become something like a small mountain of earthen-yellow light. The glow surrounding its enormous body was so intense that even the radiance of the distant volcano seemed dim by comparison.

Kent watched from afar while muttering to himself. At the same time, he took advantage of the situation to capture any magical beasts that looked particularly tasty or valuable.

The Dragon Turtle’s aura didn’t affect Kent very much, but he had to consider Daphne’s condition.

When the Dragon Turtle’s body was finally wrapped inside what looked like an enormous earthen-yellow cocoon, Kent knew that the advancement process had truly begun.

This was a typical sign of a magical beast breaking through to a higher rank.

For Daphne’s sake, Kent had no choice but to take her and Big Nose away from the area. The three of them moved into a nearby cavern and temporarily settled there while the Dragon Turtle completed its transformation.

Kent couldn’t help feeling deeply expectant.

He was eager to see just what the Dragon Turtle would look like once it successfully advanced.