Chapter 216: A new meeting
The more I studied the monster's body, the more confused I grow. It was completely unreal. Its body looked as if it was made out of mana. It had no organs no heart no blood tissues no veins, nothing. It was nothing but a mash of mana that took form.
The core inside its body was continuously pumping mana toward the monster's limbs. I assumed that was how the massive creature was able to move. Still, I was rather confused. A creature made solely of mana, what kind of absurd anomaly was that?
Was it the only one of its kind? Somehow I doubt that. I glanced at the monster's eyes in curiosity. They seemed to gleam with intelligence as it pounded against my claw in an attempt to free themselves.
The tantalizing smell that the monster's body was emitting, however, was making it harder and harder for me to control myself. It only took a split second when I lost my focus, only to find my jaws already locked on the creature's body.
With a single bite, the monster had no chance to resist. Its body crumbled inside my mouth as I used my powerful teeth to crush it. It was then that the taste hit me, it was simply divine. The first thing that I noticed was the rich, smooth sweetness of the meat?I wasn't even sure If it could be counted as meat. Followed by a slight bitterness. The meat was incredibly moist and had a velvety texture that melted in my mouth. As I continued to savor the flavor, I noticed a subtle taste that I couldn't quite describe, that added a delightful aroma to the experience. The aftertaste was equally impressive.
Right after that, I could feel the mana core crack and explode inside my mouth. The various elements inside rushed toward my soul space without me needing to guide them. This gave me a small boost in powers although somewhat negligible to me if consumed regularly I could only imagine what sort of effect it would have.
A burp escaped my mouth as I clicked my tongue in wonder. The world was truly big, and there were still so many things I did not know. A monster made of mana. What did that mean? Did the mana gain consciousness? But wasn't it already kind of conscious in the first place? And if so, how did the process work?
When the core broke, I felt an abundance of elements mixed together. So was it possible for a single element to create a body? Are all the creatures created from mana this ugly? How did the process of monster creation work in the first place? I had so many questions but as usual so few answers.
'Still, it's very useful, and it tastes great.' I thought as I licked my lips with a regretful expression. I ate it too fast and did not savor the taste as long as I should have. A sigh escaped my mouth as I closed my eyes and scanned the forest with my water mana. After a few seconds, I opened my eyes again with a disappointed expression. There was no other trace of any similar mana monster in this forest.
'Was it an exception, a special existence, maybe?' I wondered.
With my mind still on the matter at hand, I spread my wings and lifted off the ground, feeling the rush of cool air beneath my scales. The forest below me was dense and teeming with life, but my focus was on the monster. The scent of creature lingered in the air even after its death, and I knew it was only a matter of remnant mana that dispersed back to the surroundings.
I circled high above the canopy, scanning the landscape with my keen eyesight, just in case. Perhaps I would get lucky and find another one. The sun was just beginning to set, casting long shadows across the trees. I could see small animals darting through the underbrush, but they were not what I was after.
As I continued my search, the forest below grew darker, and the sounds of nocturnal creatures began to fill the air. 'Looks like there is none left in this forest,' I shook my head disappointedly.
I threw a final glance at the forest below and flew past it. I soared through the dark, starry sky, the wind whipping through my scales as I left the dense forest. My wingspan was immense, allowing me to cover vast distances with each powerful flap. I had been flying for not so long, searching for a suitable place to rest. There was need to hurry, I was in a journey to see and enjoy the sights.
As I emerged from the sky above the forest, I spotted a clearing below. A group of humans had set up camp, their flickering fire casting shadows on the ground. I circled above them, my sharp eyes studying them from afar. They were armed with swords and bows and wore leather armor. They did not look like typical knights. 'Mercenaries perhaps?'
There was something intriguing about this group. They were not like the usual bands of knights and they seemed to be merely passing through, searching for something.
For starters, I decided to land on a nearby hill and watch them from a safe distance. I landed with a loud thud, my massive claws sinking into the soft earth. The mercenaries did not seem to notice, too focused on their own tasks.
I studied them from afar, as they cooked their food, played music, and told stories around the fire. Somehow, I felt a strange sense of nostalgia as I listened to them.
And so, I decided to do something I usually wouldn't have. The soft earth gave way to my heavy feet as I approached. The mercenaries were around a flickering fire, their eyes widened as they saw me come. They clutched their weapons, but I did not make any aggressive moves, I was curious as to what brought them here, what was it that they were looking for? Besides, their puny weapons were of no harm to me.
"Hello, travelers," I boomed in a voice that shook the ground beneath them. "Do not fear me. I am not here to harm you."
The mercenaries were still in shock, their mouths agape as they looked at me. I could sense their fear, but also their wonder. They had probably heard stories of me before, tales of a massive blue dragon who had destroyed Piya and killed armies of knights. But they had never seen me with their own eyes.
One of them, a young brown-haired man with a bow slung over his shoulder, found his voice. "Wh-what do you want from us?" he stammered.
I chuckled before answering "What would I want from you? I was merely passing by and saw your campfire."
The mercenaries exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. They had never encountered a dragon who wanted to talk, let alone join their camp. Especially when said dragon had a reputation for flattening a kingdom.
"May I join you around your fire?" I asked with a mischievous smile, gesturing towards the flames.
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