Crackling and popping, several fireballs exploded towards Saron. His flying skills weren't fully honed; while he dodged a few, one still managed to hit him.

"Huh?" Saron glanced at his scales, his eyes lighting up at the sight—only some blackened scorch marks were present. The damage was less severe than he'd anticipated. His defenses were breached, but still holding strong. This minor wound could heal on its own, thanks to the robust constitution of a true dragon, without even needing to tap into his Carnivore talent.

He eyed the fire elemental, which seemed to have diminished in strength significantly. The elemental hurled two fiery chains at Saron, striking him hard.

Boom! Saron's body was flung to the ground, creating a massive crater.

"Ha-ha, there's no escape for you. Be a good dragon and become my mount!" Rawel gloated, finding the capture of the younger and more controllable dragon a better deal.

"Who said you've caught me?" Saron rose from the pit, his yellow, slit pupils fixated on Rawel and Rola. Though not as large as the black dragon mother, his wide-spread wings gave him an imposing presence.

It was then that Rawel remembered, aside from Rola, he lacked other guards by his side.

"Finish him quickly!" Rawel urged, sensing that the fire elemental lord's time was running out. As the elemental continued its assault, Saron spat back a jet of acid, but it did little damage.

Physical attacks were nearly ineffective against it, Saron realized. So, he didn't bother with a futile claw-and-fang assault. Instead, he turned his gaze towards Rawel and Rola.

Saron's intent was clear, and the two quickly sought shelter behind the rampaging fire elemental.

"Rawel, join the fire elemental in taking down this black dragon. He's no easy foe!" Rola suddenly interjected.

"I am a prince; how could I sully my hands with such brutish work?" Rawel quickly demurred, shaking his head.

Rola inwardly cursed Rawel as useless. If only the king had sons other than this one, with all others being daughters, he would never have been the heir apparent.

Saron turned back to face the fire elemental, his concentration refocusing. "Let the feast begin," he whispered to himself. A powerful hunger swept through him, growing more intense with each layer of his 'Feast' ability, driving an almost insatiable impulse to devour everything before him.

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The elemental's fiery form seemed to emit an irresistible aroma, making Saron's mouth water uncontrollably. He couldn't hold back any longer and launched himself towards the fire elemental lord.

Flames lashed out, four fiery chains extending towards Saron in an attempt to bind him. But Saron disregarded the chains and surged forward, aiming to consume the elemental itself.

"Has this black dragon lost his mind? Does he think he can bite to death a fire elemental?" Rawel expressed his bewilderment.

"It can't be that simple," Rola mused, a hint of fear creeping into her voice as she watched Saron's ferocious approach. She glanced at Rawel and subtly stepped back.

In that moment, Saron's jaws clamped down on one of the elemental's limbs, tearing it off with a vicious tug before swallowing it down.

"How is that possible!" Rawel exclaimed, his expression one of stunned disbelief.

A fire elemental was essentially a being of flame; it defied reason that it could have its limb bitten off and devoured.

The hunger within Saron magnified as the 'Feast' progressed. Ordinarily, even if Saron bit into fire, it would be useless. But under the thrall of 'Feast,' he could inflict actual damage, rendering the elemental's immunity to physical attacks ineffective.

With a furious roar, the fire elemental's flames surged, regenerating its arm at the site of the severance. Yet, its size diminished further with the effort.

Saron charged at the fire elemental, which desperately tried to ascend to evade him, but Saron took flight as well, gaining on it.

With a roar that filled the sky, Saron tore into the fire elemental, bite by bite, its form shrinking more with each gulp. His 'Feast' meter was rapidly filling—80%, 82%, 83%...

"Rawel, we can't keep going like this. If the fire elemental loses, we won't stand a chance at escaping!" Rola watched the elemental transition from dominance to weakness with a sense of helplessness.

"If only you hadn't foolishly commanded it at the start," she thought of Rawel's earlier instructions.

"Don't worry, Rola, I have a space teleportation scroll here—my father gave it to me for protection!" Rawel continued to watch the battle between the black dragon and the fire elemental from afar.

"A teleportation scroll!" Rola exclaimed. Space magic, being rarer than other types, was seldom seen on scrolls—her ducal family didn't possess any.

"Could I take a look at it?" Rola asked sweetly.

"Of course!" Rawel, pleased by the admiration and envy in her eyes, didn't suspect her motives.

By then, the fire elemental was reduced to its limits. Saron grabbed hold of the diminished creature. Like swallowing cotton candy, he stuffed it into his mouth. The elemental thrashed, flames trying to scorch Saron's maw, but in the end, it was consumed piece by piece.

After a satisfying belch, Saron turned his gaze to the two humans. Rawel was frozen in shock.

"Rola, we must—" Rawel began, but when he turned, he saw Rola had already retreated over ten meters behind him, activating the space teleportation scroll.

"Rola, what are you doing? Let's go together!" Rawel desperately ran towards her.

But Rola's eyes were cold: "Sorry, Rawel, this scroll's quality isn't great—it can only transport one. Any more might lead to accidents."

"You said you'd do anything for me, right?" she added, as Rawel's eyes blazed with betrayal.

"Damn you, you traitor—stop!" Rawel bellowed, his eyes bloodshot.

After finishing the fire elemental, Saron's 'Feast' was coming to a close. He lunged towards Rola, far quicker than Rawel could ever hope to be, but it was a step too late. Ripples of space flickered as Rola's form blurred into nothingness.

In the last moment, Saron lashed out with his claws. A scream pierced the air as Rola vanished, leaving behind only a severed arm.

Saron exhaled two white puffs from his nostrils—she had escaped. Meanwhile, Rawel stood beside him, utterly despondent, his hope crumbled to dust.

It wasn't until Saron's shadow loomed over him that Rawel came to his senses.

"Great Black Dragon, I was wrong, please give me a chance for revenge!" Rawel's eyes showed a wild desperation.

"Oh? And what do I get if I spare your life?" Saron eyed him curiously.

The betrayal seemed to have ignited something within Rawel. "I am the sole prince of the Del Kingdom, the only heir. I could find a way to get rid of the king. Then, when I am king, I can devote all the kingdom's resources to serve you," Rawel proposed, a newfound calmness taking over him.

A glint of intrigue flashed in Saron's eyes.