Lance closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. The teleportation array had drained the magical energy from his body, and recovering enough power to activate it again within two hours was no easy feat.

He remained fully focused, counting the time in his mind.

Two hours had passed since Mira entered the teleportation array. Lance opened his eyes. He exhaled, and blue magical energy once again surged through him.

But this time, it was obviously more difficult than before. He involuntarily clenched his hands, beads of sweat slowly forming on his forehead.

The pain from the lightning damage started to intensify.

The Blue Dragon had still not stopped channeling magical energy, and finally, a blue teleportation portal appeared before him.

Lance gave a faint smile, but his face was unusually pale due to the pain.

The Blue Dragon closed its eyes, steadying its breath. Right now, it was only important to maintain the status quo and wait for Mira to emerge from the array.

For the Blue Dragon, this was nothing remarkable.

Lance closed his eyes again, sweat dripping from his forehead.

The liquid seeping from his skin followed the contours of the human face he had simulated. The sharpness of his jawline carried an unnatural, eerie quality. Had his body not been so weak, his human form would be hard to reconcile with that of a frail mage.

Even though he wasn’t skilled in combat like a dragon, he was still a dragon compared to humans.

Lance could feel himself trembling, his energy dispersing.

Mira had not shown up on time.

His gaze fixed on the magical array, and he couldn’t help but wonder why Mira had missed the appointment.

He should have left a detection spell on her. The nearby town, closest to the Dragon’s Tower, had long been a gathering place for many descendants of adventurers. They waited in hiding, hoping for an opportunity to kill a dragon.

Mira was a stranger, and a young girl at that. It was inherently dangerous for her to venture into the town alone.

She could use magic.

Lance reminded himself. Mira wasn’t an ordinary girl. She was a mage capable of casting spells.

Though she couldn’t directly withstand the violent power of magic like anyone else, Lance knew she had several stones in her pocket that helped filter out some of the destructive magic damage.

Even with these different reasons in mind, Lance couldn’t convince himself.

After he had just reclaimed ownership of the tower from the Black Dragon, human adventurers had come to the tower repeatedly.

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They had heard, somehow, that the Magic Dragon had just been through an intense battle and was in a weakened state, and so they came in droves to provoke Lance.

The Blue Dragon was more composed and rational, unlike the impulsive, angry Black Dragon. The adventurers’ provocations only earned Lance’s indifference.

But the message was misinterpreted by adventurers outside the tower, who understood it as a signal that the Magic Dragon was grievously wounded and on the verge of death.

In a short period of time, they swarmed the tower, trying to kill the Magic Dragon while it was weak.

Lance had witnessed firsthand the greed of humanity. They knew the tower was filled with immeasurable wealth, so they tried every possible way to break into it and seize the treasure.

They used explosives to try to blow open the tower doors, and they dug tunnels in an attempt to enter through the underground. To obtain the title of dragon slayer and the riches inside, they were even willing to kill each other.

In reality, magic had been placed on the tower doors: any visitor who did not harbor ill intent towards the dragon could open the door with a gentle push.

On the other hand, anyone with even a hint of malice towards the tower’s owner—no matter how powerful they were—could never open the door.

Lance didn’t like the smell of blood. But he knew that this situation could not continue. He needed a peaceful environment to live in. This tower belonged to him.

So, he used a mimicry spell to simulate the Black Dragon’s form above the tower.

In the midst of a violent storm, the giant figure flickered in and out of the thick clouds, the roar of the dragon blending with the thunder to create a deep rumble.

The brief flashes of its form and the terrifying pressure made everyone shudder involuntarily.

The giant dragon flew low, its massive body shaking every adventurer who had come here.

They were all frightened, dropping their helmets and armor, and fled as fast as they could before the dragon’s attention could fall on them.

Afterward, Lance strengthened the magical barriers on the mountain path.

He tried to prop up his body. Mira was already late.

The Blue Dragon trembled. She must have encountered trouble.

Though they had only spent one brief night together, Lance felt a stronger connection to this strange girl with secrets than to those adventurers who had tried to blow open his tower and kill him for treasure.

She had told him that she could take care of him when he was injured. She had nowhere else to go, so staying temporarily at the base of the tower wouldn’t be a problem.

He struggled to move, like a stranded mermaid, only able to support his body with his arms, dragging his useless, ornate tail across the land, inching closer to the magical array.

The familiar blue energy fluctuated. His condition was terrible, and the magical array could disappear at any moment.

Where was Mira? Lance gritted his teeth.

If she missed the teleportation array, getting back to the tower wouldn’t be easy.

Lance supported his body. He rarely felt his human form to be so awkward and fragile. A few lightning spells had robbed him of his freedom of movement.

His light blue hair hung limply, mingling with the sweat that dripped down, strands sticking to his face.

He was still filtering the violent energy from the magic, to protect Mira from the magical backlash that could tear her apart when she passed through the array.

He did his best to maintain the array’s presence. As long as he could hold on for a little longer, Mira would be able to solve her problems.

After shaking off those annoying thugs, Mira sprinted back down the alley.

Her two braids bounced up and down with each step, swaying wildly as a cool breeze brushed across her face. Ignoring the earlier interruption, she felt a rare sense of vitality.

She carried a basket and an iron pot, which made her look somewhat comical, but Mira was still smiling.

Running was strictly prohibited inside the Magic Nexus. It was a rule made by madmen.

The wind swept away her worries, leaving only joy behind.

The light blue teleportation portal at the end of the alley was just ahead. Once she passed through it, she would return to the tower.

With a smile, Mira jumped into the blue portal. But instead of the dark interior of the tower, she found herself facing something unexpected.

She paused, looking back in confusion at the alley's end.

The magical array had failed.

Had something happened to Lance?