Chapter 75: A Sudden Proposal

Chris pulled up the attribute panel and allocated all the new attributes to himself and Azreon. Meanwhile, Azreon instantly flew into the air before his whole body became enveloped by a fire cocoon.

The fiery cocoon started expanding in the next moment, enveloping almost the entire mountain peak.

Chris and Lilith had to move some distance away as the cocoon grew bigger and bigger.

"Is he about to grow even more?" Lilith asked in amazement as she watched the spectacle.

"Probably." Chris nodded with a smile. "He grows bigger each time he evolves. I’m afraid he’ll become too big very soon."

Lilith looked at him. "What’s the problem with getting bigger? Isn’t that good?"

Chris kept smiling as he awaited Azreon’s transformation. "It’s indeed good, but sometimes being too big is not a good thing."

His eyes turned serious for a moment. "We have some strong enemies. I’m afraid it’s getting harder and harder to hide from them at this rate."

’You shouldn’t worry about that. I can teach him my technique.’ Aura’s voice suddenly rang in his head.

"What do you mean? What technique?" He raised his eyebrows.

Lilith knew that he was talking to Aura, so she kept silent.

’Did you forget that I can change my size at will? I can teach him that too.’

"Really? You can teach him that?" His eyes widened just thinking about it.

’I can. He won’t be able to become larger, but turning smaller should be easy.’

"That sounds great. Please teach him that." He nodded with a smile.

’I would have done it even if you didn’t ask. It’s getting cramped inside this pouch.’

"You seem happy?" Lilith commented, noticing his smile.

"I’m naturally happy. Aura will teach my Azreon how to turn smaller. That way, we can keep a low profile in the Wilds."

"In the Wilds? You’re not planning to go back there, are you?" She looked at him sharply.

"I am." He nodded without even thinking. "Why?"

"Can you not leave?" Her eyes dropped. "You have a responsibility now."

"What responsibility?"

"You have to marry me." She practically whispered as her face turned red.

Chris looked at her for a moment, speechless.

"Are you actually being serious right now?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? Why would I be joking about that!?" She raised her voice in anger.

"I mean, it indeed sounds like a joke. Think about it, we have just met. We barely even know each other." He looked at her in shock. He couldn’t understand her train of thought at all.

"You took my first kiss!"

"Took? You forced it on me! Twice!" He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at her accusations.

"It doesn’t matter! I even gave you my source energy!"

"Source energy? That thing that almost turned me into a demon?"

"Huh? Almost? What do you mean almost? Aren’t you a demon now?" She was stunned.

"Well, not really. But I think I’m not a human anymore, either. Maybe something in between?" He shook his head. He didn’t know himself.

She quickly came closer to him and brought her head to his neck.

*Sniff.* *Sniff.*

"What are you doing?"

"I can definitely feel my source energy inside of you. Even if you’re not a demon now, it doesn’t matter. You have to marry me." She looked him straight in the eye.

"Woman, I don’t understand a single word of what you’re saying!"

She shook her head. "You will understand in the future. Just know that I can give my source energy to only one person in my life, and that person is the only one who can be my partner."

He nodded. "So that’s how it is."

She nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, now do you get it?"

"I get it." He nodded. "But I must refuse."

"Huuuuh?"

"I can’t marry you, woman. What don’t you understand?"

"But why!?"

"What do you mean why? You’re about to become a queen, most likely. I have no intentions of getting myself into that kind of shit! I also barely know you!" He started to think that there was something wrong with her head. Who asks a stranger to marry them out of the blue?

"Isn’t that good? You can become a king and rule with me!"

"Hahahahahahaha..." He started laughing in exasperation. "Me? A king? Do I look like someone who will take that kind of shitty responsibility?"

"Just say yes! You won’t even have to do anything!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yuh-uh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

Lilith stomped her feet on the ground in anger. "What’s so bad about being with me!? What am I lacking!?"

He looked at her for a moment and decided to finally be serious. "Listen, I am dealing with a whole bunch of shit right now. I can’t tie myself to this. I must increase my strength as soon as possible to survive whatever is about to happen with the demons and all."

"So there’s nothing wrong with me? It’s just that you have unfinished business." She nodded. "Then you can marry me once you’re done with all that."

He looked at her, completely speechless. ’She won’t give up, will she?’

Suddenly, he felt something tickle his leg.

Looking down, he became so shocked that he almost lost his footing.

"A-A-AZREON!?"

What he saw was Azreon, trying to climb up his boot.

He was so small that he barely managed to recognize him.

He quickly crouched down and picked him up with one hand.

Looking at him instantly brought back memories of when he had first hatched from his egg. He was now the same size as back then, just as small as a little puppy.

"What in the world happened to you, buddy? How are you so small?" He couldn’t believe his eyes.

"Humph... You’re welcome." He suddenly heard Aura’s voice beside him.

Turning around to look at her, who had at some unknown point jumped out of the beast pouch without him even noticing, he asked, "Is this your doing?"

"Naturally. I have taught him my technique. He is a fast learner." She nodded her head.

"When did you get the time to do that? I didn’t notice anything!?"

"While you two were having your lovers’ quarrel, I had plenty of time to teach him the technique."

Chris just stood there for a moment, speechless. Then he released a deep breath.

"For a moment, I was afraid that he had evolved backwards."

"He’s so cute!" Lilith suddenly approached. "Can I pet him?"

"GRRRRRRR!"

Azreon turned towards her and growled. But it sounded incredibly cute.

"I don’t think he’d like that." Chris chuckled. Then he looked at Azreon. "Come on, buddy, show me how much you’ve grown."

Azreon flapped his little wings and slowly flew up into the air with much effort. It seemed that he was having a hard time flying in such a small form.

Chris just watched in amusement.

When he gained enough distance, Azreon started glowing as his body began to enlarge rapidly.

In less than a full second, he returned to his normal form.

"That... that’s just ridiculous." Lilith shook her head with a weak smile.

Chris didn’t say anything. He just approached Azreon and looked up at him.

Azreon brought his head down to Chris’s level.

"This... I don’t even know what to say about this." Chris shook his head with a smile.

Azreon was now twice his previous size.

"Open your mouth, buddy."

Azreon instantly opened his mouth.

Chris stared at his teeth for a moment. "Yep, just as I expected. Just one of your teeth is almost as big as me." Then his smile began to widen. "AMAZING! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..."

"Did... did he lose his mind?" Lilith asked Aura.

"He was always crazy. I don’t know what you expected." She shook her head. "And don’t talk to me, demon." Saying that, she turned into a streak of light before returning to the beast pouch.

Chris gathered all his strength into his legs before jumping onto Azreon’s back.

Landing on it, he looked around.

"Where the hell is the saddle!?"

There was no saddle on his back.

He looked around the mountain peak and saw something that resembled the torn saddle in the distance.

"So you’re even too big for that saddle." He thought for a moment before jumping onto Azreon’s head.

"You’re just too big now, buddy. I think standing on your head would give me more vision." Then he started thinking. "Should I make a saddle for your head!? No... that sounds weird... Maybe I should have a custom-made hat for you?"

*ROOOOAR!*

"You don’t like that? We’ll think of something else." He patted Azreon’s horn before looking at Lilith. "Are you coming?"

Lilith smiled before jumping onto Azreon’s back, then onto his head.

"Let’s go kill that damn spider!"

They flew high into the sky, heading towards the mountain where the gigantic spider had emerged before.

Once they were close enough, Lilith took out her demon artifact and began pouring her demonic energy into it.

The purple liquid inside the hourglass started swirling violently before a powerful shockwave spread in all directions.

Chris looked down at the forest, waiting for the familiar movements to begin.

It didn’t take long before countless insect beasts started rushing through the forest, emerging from between the trees and crawling over one another as they headed towards the source of the energy.

However, neither Chris nor Lilith paid them any attention.

They weren’t here for the smaller beasts this time. They were waiting for something much bigger.

Suddenly, the mountain in the distance started shaking.

Chris narrowed his eyes as the upper part began moving, opening like a cap before the enormous spider emerged from beneath it.

The gigantic creature let out a terrible screech before rushing towards them.

"Here it comes!" Chris shouted.

Azreon immediately spread his wings and flew forward.

The spider was still larger than him, but the difference wasn’t nearly as great as before. Now, Azreon was almost half its size, making it much easier for him to fight against the enormous creature.

Without wasting any time, Azreon opened his mouth and unleashed a torrent of crimson flames.

The fire struck the spider’s body, covering several of its legs and making it screech in pain. Its advance slowed as it tried to shake off the flames.

Chris watched the result with a smile.

"That’s more like it!"

The spider raised its head and spat a stream of acid towards them.

Azreon quickly twisted his body, avoiding the attack before circling around the creature.

At the same time, Lilith raised the demon artifact and poured even more energy into it.

Purple energy spread from the hourglass, wrapping around the spider’s enormous body.

The creature’s movements suddenly became sluggish.

Lilith narrowed her eyes and tried to exert more control over it, but the spider continued struggling against her influence.

"Chris! I can’t control it!"

"That’s fine! Just keep slowing it down!"

She nodded and focused entirely on the artifact.

Meanwhile, Chris and Azreon continued attacking from the air. Black flames rained down upon the spider, striking its back and legs while Chris used his own fire mana to bombard it from different directions.

The spider repeatedly tried to attack them, but Lilith’s influence made its movements slower and less coordinated.

Even so, it was an exhausting battle.

They kept their distance and continued attacking, avoiding the acid whenever it spat towards them. The spider was enormous, and its body could withstand an incredible amount of damage, but even then it couldn’t endure their attacks forever.

An entire hour passed before Chris finally noticed a significant change.

The spider’s movements had become noticeably slower, and its screeches were no longer as powerful as before.

It was still dangerous, but it had been weakened considerably.

"Azreon, keep your distance for a moment!"

Chris pulled out his sword and stared at the gigantic spider.

He wasn’t entirely sure what he was about to do, but something inside him urged him to try.

He instinctively gathered his energy and attempted to coat his weapon with Gwenor.

However, what appeared around the blade wasn’t the familiar white energy. Instead, a crimson aura spread across the weapon.

The energy was a strange combination of Gwenor and demonic energy, blending together into something entirely different.

He could feel both powers within it, yet neither seemed to be fighting against the other.

Without wasting another moment, he swung his sword.

A wave of crimson energy shot towards the spider, striking its body and making it release a deafening screech.

Chris stared at his weapon in surprise.

’It actually worked!’

He swung again, sending another wave of crimson energy towards the creature.

Each attack struck the spider, leaving deep marks across its enormous body.

The creature screeched in pain as it struggled to move.

At the same time, Lilith’s eyes widened.

Her control over the spider, which had previously been barely enough to slow it down, was growing stronger with every crimson wave that struck its body.

She looked at Chris in disbelief for a moment.

The demon artifact trembled in her hand as she poured more power into it.

"Chris! I think I can control it now!"