Two figures walked through the bustling streets, feeling the cool night breeze carrying the warmth of the city's festive mood in the atmosphere.
Asher glanced around. "What's going on?"
"It's winter," Alicia replied, as if that explained everything.
Asher raised an eyebrow, implying he had no idea of what she meant. To him and where he came from, winter meant hardship. Death. Even until this day.
The biting cold and rampaging attacks from wild beasts were what he knew winter for.
Yet, for some reason, there was a festival going on in this city in the middle of winter and what's worse, it was in the nighttime, when the warmth of the sun was long gone!
Noticing Asher's expression, Alicia hesitated. "You don't celebrate during winter?!"
He shook his head. "We try to survive during winter."
She blinked, momentarily at a loss. "Well… we don't face that problem because our connection to Okeanos keeps us immune to the cold, and her presence also scares away the beasts. As long as you stay within the city walls, winter can be considered the best season of the year here."
Asher folded his arms. "And what exactly is the celebration all about?"
Alicia's eyes sparkled. "Every winter, Okeanos makes the flowers bloom across the land, each bearing droplets filled with her energy. Once you see them draped over the expanse, it's like you're in a land of wonder. Each drop rejuvenates the body, restoring strength to the weak and increasing the strength of the strong. Every household, nobles and peasants alike, takes part in the gathering."
Asher shrugged, unimpressed. "Honestly. I think I've grown so used to swinging my sword that I don't think I'll enjoy any of this."
He veered to a nearby store, grabbed an apple and dropped a coin. It wasn't the Eternal Immortal Empire's coin but an El Shard, according to what it was called here.
As he took a bite of the juicy apple, his eyes grew wide. "The taste of this fruit is beyond anything I've ever tasted."
Alicia grinned. "Our farmers occasionally use the collected droplets of water stored today to enrich their crops, it boosts their yield."
Asher frowned slightly. "Almost everything about Clan El is dependent on Okeanos. Doesn't that make your weakness glaring?"
Alicia's smile didn't waver. "Okeanos cannot be defeated. Not even by an Apex-ranked Awoken One."
Asher raised an eyebrow.
Awoken Ones were ranked from Legendary, Mythical, Ethereal and finally Apex.
Apex were the strongest beings to exist on Tenaria.
And yet… even among the highest ranks of Boundless, Asher had never heard of a human who could claim the strength of an Apex-ranked Awoken One!
Awoken Ones possessed the ability to see through the realities of the world, thereby claiming it as fake and creating their own!
Some viewed the current world as a lie and imagined it as a hellish place where fire burned eternally. The moment they projected their inner reality outward, it became the truth, transforming their surroundings into a reflection of their inside world.
Clearly, Okeanos's inside world was this paradise—where people wouldn't need battle force or magi force or any form of mana Tenaria produced but would rely on her alone.
This was the reason why everyone here had the same blue eyes, except the ruling family.
Asher had no idea what his own inner world would manifest as, but while he found Okeanos' inner world admirable, he couldn't bring himself to desire it.
It was a fragile system, concentrating the power to just one single source.
Unless other Awoken Ones acted as guardians for that sanctuary—which was impossible since they were rare—Okeanos' life could be threatened at any moment.
"Your faith in her is unshakable," Asher commented.
"It's not blind faith," Alicia countered. "We are aware of our weakness, but Okeanos isn't always in that pond. She's only there during the second month of winter. During the rest of the year, she merges with the azure river, becoming one with it."
Asher froze at those words. "She's… the consciousness of the river that spans the entire continent?"
Alicia nodded. "That's why security around the sanctuary is a priority during this month. I doubt anyone can get through."
"Then I suppose the flaw isn't as glaring as I once thought," Asher admitted, tossing aside the remains of the apple.
The moment it hit the ground, flames erupted at the distance, brightening the night sky as the fire engulfed the wooden structures built on the east wall!
In an instant, the air was shattered by screams as burning soldiers plummeted from the walls, and the wooden structures crashed down around them.
A torrent of orange and blue flames engulfed another section, reducing the soldiers and ballistae to smoldering ruins.
Pandemonium erupted as a colossal, 25-foot-tall dragon—its scales a deep, fiery red—dug its claws into the city walls, its massive body leaning forward as it unleashed a deafening roar upon the already terrified crowds.
"Is that the red dragon?" Asher reached out for Euodias while Alicia took a few bold steps forward, unshaken by the chaos.
People rushed past, shoving into them, but she barely noticed. Her gaze was locked onto the beast.
Her response made Asher frown. Before he could speak, Alicia's next words sent a chill down his spine.
"It's much smaller than the one you're supposed to hunt."
Asher's eyes shook. Not at the threat of this monstrous, imperial-ranked dragon roaring and breathing flames from the top of the wall, but at the realisation that there was more than one true dragon looming in this vicinity!
If that was the case, going after the other dragon alone would be suicidal.
"What rank is that dragon?" he demanded.
"We believe it should be a Legendary-ranked Awoken One."
Asher's expression darkened. All of a sudden, realization dawned on him.
Dragons were rumoured to reside in the Dragon Lair mountains—far beyond the empire's borders.
So why would they fly to an empire that was thousands of kilometres to El?
There could be no other answer except…
"I'll buy time. Get to Okeanos—she's the target."
Before Alicia could protest, Asher brandished Euodias and vanished, his figure blurring before her eyes in less than a second.
Moments later, he stood before the eastern district, where the billowing and roaring flames were so dense that everything within seemed like shadows.
Then came the thunderous beat of the massive wings.
A powerful gust of wind whipped through the ruins, sending embers spiraling into the air. Asher's hair was in disarray as he tilted his head skyward.
Above him, the dragon soared.
The beast's chest glowed with the light of a radiant crystal heart, its energy output almost palpable.
The sheer force of its presence was suffocating, capable of forcing even the most seasoned soldiers to turn and flee.
It was a sobering reminder of why dragon slayers existed—lone warriors who embodied the strength and prowess needed to take down such a formidable foe.
Sending an army or troops would be nothing short of suicidal.
Only the stronger could hope to vanquish the strong.