From a distance, the volcano was still erupting, while Ashen Town had already begun organizing the evacuation of its ordinary residents. Although they were still at a safe distance from the volcano, the ash clouds from the eruption had begun to cover the sky. Mayor Zoe and Bishop Manpha received clear instructions from Lily, the Vice President of the Mage Guild, to evacuate all civilians.

The sky over Ashen Town was shrouded in thick gray clouds, and the air was filled with the scorching tension of the volcanic eruption. The townspeople hurriedly packed their belongings, families rushing onto the streets. Children’s cries mixed with the panicked shouts of their parents, and though Mayor Zoe repeatedly assured them there was no danger, the fear was still clearly visible on every face. Old carriages were loaded with luggage, some horses struggling to pull the weight. The church also mobilized all its personnel to help with the evacuation, even deploying magic-powered vehicles, whose engines roared alongside the trembling earth, creating a cacophony of chaos.

Ash drifted down like silent snowflakes, slowly covering the town’s buildings and streets. The town’s clock tower appeared hazy in the fog, as if foretelling the imminent engulfment of this once-peaceful town by the ash. The evacuating people moved with heavy steps, the ground trembling beneath them as their figures gradually disappeared into the shadow of the volcano. Only ash and silence remained, enveloping the town that once thrived with life.

As the residents gradually left, only a few people remained, all gathered at the church. Mayor Zoe and Bishop Manpha, though not high-ranking mages, began casting "Purification" and "Whirlwind" spells to blow away the ash from the volcano. However, due to their limited magical power, they could only protect the small area surrounding the church, the most important place in the town.

While casting, the two of them wondered whether the recent dragon had caused the volcanic eruption. The eruption would surely deplete a large portion of the fire magic stone veins beneath the volcano, leaving the future value of these mines uncertain. However, they had done one thing right—reporting the appearance of the two dragons near the volcano to the Mage Guild immediately.

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Just as their magical power was about to run out, they suddenly noticed a large shadow growing in the ash-covered sky.

"A dragon!" Mayor Zoe trembled, as he saw yet another dragon approaching.

I looked down at Ashen Town, shrouded in volcanic ash, and instructed Steel to land. Steel, after separating from his parents, had found a cave near the volcano to rest, but now I was unsure if the cave would be blocked or submerged by lava. From high above, I noticed mages using "Purification" and "Whirlwind" spells below. However, their magic was so weak they could only protect the church, although I also noticed the town was quite large but mostly empty, as most residents had already evacuated.

"Steel, land there," I commanded. Steel immediately understood and descended to the church square.

Mayor Zoe and Bishop Manpha stared in disbelief as I jumped off Steel’s back, clearly shocked to see a human riding a dragon. Nervously, they didn’t know what to say, likely never expecting a dragon to allow a human on its back.

I approached them and said, "Hello, I am Rang. What’s going on here? Is the volcano erupting?"

Though Zoe couldn’t read much from my simple appearance, he displayed enough respect for someone who could ride a dragon. "Greetings, Lord Rang. This is Ashen Town. I am Mayor Zoe, a novice mage. This is our Bishop Manpha, also a novice mage. As you can see, the volcano erupted. While we’re at a safe distance, the ash is affecting the area, so we’ve organized the evacuation of the town’s residents to nearby settlements."

I nodded and replied, "I see. Let me help you."

With that, I clasped my hands together and silently recited a spell, "Greater Purification." A green sphere of light burst from me, expanding outward and blowing all the volcanic ash outside the town. I then casually cast a "Barrier" spell, enveloping the entire town in a protective shield.

Although these were simple spells to me, Zoe and Manpha were visibly stunned. Despite being novice mages, they knew enough about magic to recognize that the golden "Barrier" I cast was the highest level. Their awe turned into deep respect for me.

"Thank you for your great help, Lord Rang." Seeing the "Barrier" cover the entire town, keeping out all the ash, Zoe bowed deeply, and Manpha followed suit.

"It’s nothing, just a small effort," I said, waving my hand dismissively. Although some of my memories were still wandering somewhere, once recalled, my magic would never be forgotten again. So for me, this was a trivial task.

Steel, meanwhile, had transformed into his human form, appearing as a young boy. Zoe and Manpha were shocked once again, as it was likely their first time seeing a dragon transform into a human. Lowering their heads even further, Zoe said, "Honored guests, please come inside the church to rest. We will be sure to host you properly."

(To be continued)