They way she opened the eyes after hearing my remark was entirely different. Not so calm and relaxed… she opened them as if it was the most important thing in the world right now. She even stood up looking me in the eyes with all her mighty form revealed before me…

¨I am a dragon. I can tell if someone lies to me. I have no doubts divine beings can probably somehow trick that skill but I am nearly certain that you are not capable of such thing right now. I believe you little rat…¨

Man I have to admit that I hate being called little rat. I mean sure it is the truth… especially compared to her but god damn… it is still annoying.

I didn’t want to interrupt her but I just really dislike the term. There are many reasons why but most importantly, I have a damn name.

¨Its Felix. My name is Felix. Please don’t call me little rat anymore¨

I think she was a bit pissed that I dared to interrupt her speech… however I think she also understood why.

¨Very well Felix, my name is Aelin. I am honored to meet you¨

Well now you are honored huh? I wonder what is so special about reaching floor forty? Maybe that it is just deep enough for her to consider me worthy? I have so many questions that I doubt she will answer half of them.

¨Anyways Felix. Do it, I am ready¨

Wait WHAT? What does she mean by that? Don’t tell me… ??

¨What are you talking about Aelin?¨

I mean I think I know what she meant by that but why would she even want that? Also I think that’s a bit weird change of heart.

¨I don’t know how it is called but the ritual for me to become your follower… do it¨

Whoa… I mean sure, she might know about that but why? Few minutes ago she refused to even talk to me and now she want to become my follower? That’s very suspicious.

¨Why would you want that? I really don’t understand¨

She is giving me this disappointed look again… I don’t really know why but I have no doubts she will enlighten me with her reason? Surely?

¨Felix… this is hard for me. I am willingly giving myself to you… are you telling me… that I am not good enough for you?¨

Whoa? That’s a bit passive aggressive right there? I think she misunderstood my question. I wasn’t refusing her I was generally surprised… darn.

¨No! That’s not what I meant! I am asking you why would you want to become my follower, because you didn’t even want to talk to me few moments before and now you suddenly want to become my follower?¨

How does she even know about that? Maybe she already experienced it before? Still doesn’t change the fact that it is very suspicious.

Man if I thought she was pissed before when I was pestering her with the talking… she was legit just taking a nap… now however, I am nearly certain that she is fucking pissed. I can tell because the way she looks at me changed drastically and I am also fairly sure that she isn’t happy with the current situation. I even think she might be getting ready to fight? Is there someone that I didn’t notice? I can feel only the stupid elementals?

¨Are you questioning every single monster that comes to you blinded by your aura? Did you give every single one of them the choice? Or did you perhaps feel like that’s the only thing in the world that makes sense? Did they seem like they would even refuse? Now my question would be… are you this hollow? Perhaps I don’t want to become a follower of someone who cherry picks who he is going to help and who he refuses to give a helping hand. I have lowered myself before you. Because I know that you deserve respect. You survived impossible and made it to the only place that can make you stable. In a very commendable time frame as well. None of the being before you came even close to that. They might have been stronger but you triumphed because you have time now. All the time you need. However… perhaps… that will change with the way you act. You will have many enemies. I wanted to give you a chance because you seemed nice. Probably too much nice for your own good. Now I know that isn’t the case. You probably don’t even know who you are. You are a hypocrite. Not true to yourself. Clinging to something not important. I am ashamed of myself to even utter these words. I will fight you to the death now, survive and maybe, just maybe, one day you will be worthy of my faith¨

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

And her huge tail smashed me across my body. I have felt it coming. I have even knew how to dodge it. I refused to accept the reality. I have been smashed into a wall over hundred meter away from her. I don’t know how much health I lost but it was somewhat manageable. Probably only few thousands.

I don’t understand… I just asked her why? Why would she be so pissed about it? Is she so proud that for the trees she doesn’t see the forest? I really don’t understand how can she be so pissed at me to initiate a duel to the death??? I don’t even see her as my enemy, how am I supposed to kill her? She will literally have to force my hand. I can also always just leave? Does she expect me to just blindly follow her moods swings?

Fucking women. No matter what race they are from… they make zero sense. You cannot reason with them. That’s like the biggest taboo… you have to feel how to act with them and even that will most likely fail. Wild animals are easier to predict damn.

Now… I can feel that despite she has relatively small amount of mana she is making use of that mana right now and I cannot interrupt it. I just know, I didn’t even try. It is far too complicated for me to even attempt to shred it.

This is going to hurt… I just don’t know what to do? Damn.

I will just run. I might be able to beat her... but why? I don’t really need her anyways. Cya dragon girl.

I erased my presence… about same time she did the magic. It was a very wide breath attack. Well that was to be expected. She is a dragon after all. I could try to dodge it with my bullet jump but I am actually quite interested in how much damage can that shit do to me… I am also fairly certain that only mana enhanced bullet jump would be able to dodge it entirely and in time. There might be a chance that is actually not worth it mana wise… very unlikely but who knows.

Well I should’ve done that. I am nearly certain the breath attack is doing about five percent of my max hp per second. That’s some dps right there. I also know that it would surely froze me if I could be frozen. Somehow I am certain that my skills are protecting me from that happening.

She interrupted her breath about ten seconds later… still scanning the surroundings.

¨I know you are still around. I can tell. If you are a divine being… you shouldn’t run. Stand your ground. Fight your enemies. I have attacked you, probably hurt you a lot. Don’t let others step all over you. You will regret it, I have made myself clear. I am your enemy. You are just a scared little rat. A monster that nobody gives a shit about. You will not be missed. Nobody cares about you and never will. I don’t know why you are like this but you don’t deserve to wield your powers. Now reveal yourself and fight me. Or I will dedicate myself to purging you of this world. I have my ways. You will regret it¨

Alright fuck it. Fuck it. That bitch is so wrong about me but she is right in one thing. She hurt me quite a bit. In this floor there is nowhere near enough mana for me to regenerate all the damage she did to me. Not fast at least.

I am not a fucking rat. Well I kinda am… but not really.

I will give her what she wants. I have no idea why is she so pissed but I am pissed myself. I have done nothing to her and she wants to kill me. She is also possibly strong enough to actually manage it. And she is threatening me even with more trouble… you wanted this fat lizard.

I have revealed myself. No use hiding myself. I will give her the fight she so damn wants.

She used her wings to start flying in the air. Hovering over the place we are at the top of the mountain. I still cannot see the ceiling even but I guess it shouldn’t be that far away.

It gives her relatively big advantage since I cannot fly. She can just bombard me with stuff from the air.

That’s exactly what she started to do. She isn’t doing the breath attack anymore. Just few balls there and there. Well many of them but I can keep up and dodge it relatively easily. Some of explosions hurt me a little bit but that’s nothing.

I am trying to find anything in my arsenal to hit her with. I don’t fucking know… I am nearly certain that throwing my mana at her directly would be just a waste. I can maybe replicate the fire magic the fire elementals were doing but all of the spells were aoe and the other one was a fire pillar. It was strong but I doubt it will reach her at all. Trying the random spells I shredded from others is a huge risk I am not willing to take and potential mana waste as well…

I am fucked. Unless I run or think of something right about now I am royally fucked.

What am I supposed to do? Well there is one thing I can do. I will make her mine. I don’t really see anything else to do anyways.

I have initiated the ritual on her, lets hope for the best.

I think this is the best solution.

Hopefully.