Chapter 502: The Longest Hours

Outside the dungeon, Adam sat beside the old man, but he could hardly stay still. His foot kept tapping against the ground as his eyes remained fixed on the dungeon entrance.

The old man glanced at him and chuckled softly.

"Still worried, are you?"

"Of course I am," Adam replied. "She’s been in there for hours, and she still hasn’t come out."

"You’ve been watching that entrance the entire time."

Adam let out a quiet sigh but didn’t take his eyes off the dungeon.

"I can’t help it. She went in there alone."

The old man shook his head with an amused smile before pouring some tea into Adam’s cup.

"Then drink this. It might help you relax."

Adam looked down at the tea for a moment before picking it up and taking a sip. The warmth spread through his body, and the tension in his shoulders gradually began to ease.

"Hm..."

For the first time in hours, he felt himself relax.

Then he suddenly sensed it.

A wave of heat radiated from inside the dungeon.

Adam’s eyes snapped toward the entrance. Heat began to pour out, followed by thick streams of smoke that curled into the air.

The old man’s expression changed as he stared at the dungeon.

"I’ve never seen this happen before."

Before Adam could respond, the dungeon’s entrance suddenly opened.

Ignis stepped out.

Her clothes were dirty and torn, her hair was a complete mess, and she looked exhausted. Yet the moment her eyes landed on Adam, her face immediately lit up.

She raised one hand and waved excitedly.

"Adamm!"

Adam stood up at once and hurried over to her. Without saying a word, he grabbed her with both hands and lifted her into the air, spinning her around with a huge grin on his face.

"Ignis, you did it!"

Ignis laughed happily as Adam spun her around.

"Yeah! I won!"

Adam kept spinning her around, laughing with relief.

"Hahaha! You did it!"

Ignis burst into laughter, her hair flying wildly around her as Adam spun her through the air. She instinctively grabbed onto his arms, but instead of asking him to stop, she laughed even harder.

"Hahaha! Yeah!! I did it!"

She looked completely exhausted, but the excitement on her face made it clear how proud she was of herself.

Adam finally slowed down and lowered Ignis back to the ground. The moment her feet touched the ground, Ignis swayed slightly, clearly exhausted from everything she had been through.

Adam immediately steadied her.

"Easy. You look like you’re about to fall over."

Ignis puffed out her cheeks.

"I’m fine!"

"You’ve got dirt all over your face, your clothes are torn, and your hair looks like you fought a hurricane."

Ignis quickly touched her hair and looked embarrassed.

"Really?"

Adam laughed, amused by the way Ignis kept trying to tidy her hair.

"Really."

Ignis paused and glanced down at herself before looking back at him. Despite how exhausted she was, a proud smile slowly spread across her face.

"But I won."

Adam’s smile softened.

"Yeah. You did."

The old man approached them, still staring at Ignis with a strange expression.

"So, you really managed to pass the Dream Grave on your own."

Ignis turned toward him and proudly raised her chin.

"Of course! I told you I could do it."

The old man chuckled.

"You certainly did."

Adam looked at Ignis for a moment. He could still feel the powerful aura radiating from her body, much stronger than before she entered the dungeon.

"So, how do you feel?"

Ignis thought about it for a moment before clenching her fists.

"Stronger."

She looked at Adam with bright eyes.

"And this time, I know I can become even stronger."

Adam smiled, noticing that Ignis carried herself with more confidence now and a will that burned even fiercer than before.

"That’s what I wanted to hear."

Ignis’s expression suddenly became more excited.

"Adam, did you see everything?"

The question caught Adam off guard.

"Uh..."

Ignis narrowed her eyes.

"You didn’t, did you?"

Adam looked away.

"Well, I was waiting outside."

Ignis stared at him for a moment before puffing up her cheeks again.

"But I wanted you to see me win!"

Adam couldn’t help but laugh.

"I knew you would win. That’s why I waited."

Ignis’s expression softened.

Then she smiled proudly.

"Good."

She leaned against Adam, finally allowing her exhausted body to relax.

"I’m tired..."

Adam looked down at her and sighed.

"Yeah. I can tell."

Without another word, he picked her up again, this time carrying her in his arms.

Ignis blinked. Adam’s face was right there, close enough to make her heart skip.

"Eh?"

"Let’s go. You’ve done enough for today."

Feeling at ease, Ignis smiled and rested her head against his chest.

"Okay."

The old man watched the two of them with an amused smile, slowly stroking his long white beard.

"Hoho... the joys of youth."

Adam glanced back at him, a quiet gratitude settling in his chest.

"Thanks for the drink, by the way."

The old man waved a hand dismissively.

"Think nothing of it. It’s simply my duty to guide those who are younger than me."

Adam gave him a small smile.

"I appreciate it."

The old man chuckled, his hand still resting on his beard.

"Then take good care of that little one. She has quite a lot of fire in her."

Ignis’s face immediately turned red at the old man’s words. Still being carried by Adam, she lowered her head and grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands.

"What do you mean by that, old man?"

The old man simply chuckled.

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he turned his back to them and slowly stroked his long white beard.

"May your journey be blessed."

Ignis continued staring at the old man’s back, her cheeks still flushed.

"Adam, what was he talking about?"

Adam glanced down at her.

"How should I know?"

"You were there too!"

Ignis kept tugging at his shirt, the seams creaking like they might give way at any moment.

"Maybe he was just messing with you," Adam said, trying to ease her tension.

Ignis frowned and slowly loosened her grip on Adam’s shirt, much to Adam’s relief.

"That old man is strange." Ignis said.

"Yeah, he is."

They slowly walked away from the dungeon, leaving the old man behind.

After a few steps, Adam glanced down at Ignis. She was already looking much more relaxed, her head resting comfortably against his chest.

"You really gave me a scare, you know."

Hearing that Adam had been worried made Ignis glad, and she couldn’t help but ask.

"Because I was inside for so long?"

"Yeah." Adam nodded, eyes fixed forward, trying to ignore the stares from people watching him carry Ignis.

Ignis also felt guilty for making Adam worry.

"I’m sorry."

Adam shook his head.

"Don’t be. You needed to do it on your own."

Ignis smiled faintly. The sight of Adam waiting patiently outside the dungeon filled her with warmth.

"But you waited for me."

"Of course I did," Adam said without hesitation.

Ignis’s smile grew wider, and she wrapped both arms tightly around Adam’s neck.

"Then I’m glad."

Adam looked ahead as they continued walking.

"Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up. You look terrible."

Ignis immediately protested.

"Hey! I just won!"

"That doesn’t change how dirty you are."

"That’s because I was fighting!"

"Yeaah, I know."

Ignis puffed out her cheeks.

"Then stop complaining!"

Adam only smiled. "Yeah, yeah. You’re the strongest."

Ignis beamed. "Damn right I am."

As they moved farther away from the dungeon, Adam could still feel the faint heat radiating from Ignis’s body.

It was different from before.

Her aura felt much steadier now, no longer flaring wildly like it had when she first became a True Dragon. There was a sense of control behind it, as though she had finally learned how to wield the power that had been burning inside her.

Adam glanced down at her.

"You really did change."

Ignis lifted her head.

"Really?" Ignis said, tilting her head.

"Yeah. Your aura feels different."

Ignis’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Is it stronger?"

"Much stronger."

A proud smile spread across her face.

"I knew it!"

Adam chuckled.

"You were already strong before. But now..."

He paused, looking at her for a moment.

"Now you seem more confident."

Ignis blinked before looking ahead.

"I think I understand something now."

"What?"

"Being strong isn’t just about having more power."

Adam raised an eyebrow, not expecting to hear that from Ignis.

"That’s surprisingly wise."

"Hey!"

Ignis lightly punched his chest.

"I’m serious!"

Adam, feeling the punch, could only smile and say, "Alright, alright. Go on."

Ignis became quiet for a moment before continuing.

"When I was inside that dungeon, I kept thinking about everyone else. About whether I was strong enough to stand beside you, or whether I’d only become a burden."

Her fingers tightened slightly around Adam’s shirt.

"But I realized I don’t have to become strong because I’m afraid of being left behind."

Adam’s expression softened.

"I can become strong because I want to," Ignis said firmly.

Ignis’s words put Adam’s heart at ease, and he smiled.

"Now that’s the Ignis I know."

Ignis looked up at him with a bright smile.

"Adam..."

"Hm?" Adam said, looking at her.

"Can I eat now?"

It turned out Ignis’s stomach was still the same as always, nothing had changed.

"...That’s what you took away from all of this?"

Ignis nodded without hesitation.

"I’m starving!"

Adam couldn’t help but laugh.

"Okay. We’ll get you something to eat."

Ignis immediately smiled.

"Yayy!!!"