As Adam rose into the air, the icy lands shaped by dragon breath disappeared fast.
Lina quickly hid her shocked face, seeing Adam already soaring towards the woods. She swiftly grabbed a handful of seeds from her chest area and tossed them on the ground. Green vines sprouted at an incredible speed, wrapping around the four ice blocks and then floated in the air, keeping up with Adam's speed.
Lina paused for a second before cautiously inquiring, "Master, are they gone?"
The woods were extremely thick. Adam could just manage to squeeze through without extending his wings fully, as there wasn't enough space to do so. Thus, he kept a form of energy shaping magic ahead of him. Ten ice swords kept swinging, creating a pathway through the dense trees.
"They're not gone, just barely hanging on," Adam replied casually. The icy elements had affected the energy balance of the four dragon-slayers, chilling their cells to the brink of death. If it wasn't for Adam's decision to keep their faint life signs, they would have become frozen bodies by now.
Lina gave a thoughtful nod, watching the ongoing freeze and break of vines, then spoke, "Master, have you grown up?"
Even though she assumed the answer to be negative, Lina found herself asking this. In her extensive yet uneventful life, she met a dragon-slayer once. A formidable individual who attacked the dragon's home solo, but was eventually ripped apart and eaten by Okov.
She vividly remembered how many of her peer servants in the dragon nests lost their lives due to that battle. If she hadn't been fortunate to get thrown off a cliff by a shockwave, she might have met the same fate.
The incident had left a lasting mark on her. Dragon-slayers were mighty, yet dragons proved mightier. In her clear and basic understanding, only fully grown dragons could overcome dragon-slayers.
At this time, Adam's energy power was almost on par with a typical mature dragon. But since he couldn't employ rune magic, his fighting techniques were no match to a fully-grown dragon adept in draconic spells. However, Adam found it difficult to answer this question. His understanding of power assessment varied from the norms in this world, and starting an elaborate explanation to Lina felt too tedious, hence he chose to ignore her.
For Lina, the silence from Adam was a confirmation. Consequently, as they approached the community, her anxiety escalated. She dreaded that the overconfident forest elves in the community might provoke Adam. Despite the fact that she was disliked by everyone in the community, she did not wish to be left alone.
As they neared the community, she found the courage to mention it once more, "Master, could I possibly go back to the community first?"
Adam had collected several new samples, brimming with various experimental concepts. He couldn't spare a moment to acknowledge Lina's slight worries, cutting her off promptly, "Is it in that direction?" Adam's dragon claw gestured forward, sensing signs of life nearby.
Lina gave a jittery nod. Before she could voice her thoughts, she felt the now familiar grasp of the dragon claw once again. All of a sudden, their speed escalated, the trees in front were smashed to pieces, and the whipping wind prevented her from opening her eyes. When the turbulence ceased, they found themselves at the fringe of the tribe.
The forest elf village was strikingly scenic, featuring lovely homes nestled on tree limbs, springs bubbling up from the soil and merging into pristine, crystal-clear streams, with vibrant flowers blossoming all around. Green energy strands, resembling ribbons, encircled the village.
In earlier times, perhaps gentle creatures had lived here in harmony with the elves. However, with the arrival of the overpowering dragon presence, the serene ambiance had shattered.
Wherever Adam's gaze fell, wherever the icy sword directed, a multitude of fragile humanoid beings gathered, armed with bows and arrows, their expressions mingled with fear and resentment towards Adam.
A male elf clutching a staff emerged, extending his hand towards the massive tree beside him. Following a burst of energy fluctuation, the tree sprang to life, morphing into two colossal Ents (tree beings). This transformation seemed to bolster his confidence. Addressing Adam, he stated, "Young dragon, Lord Okov has bestowed us with freedom. The forest elves now claim this land. State your intentions here."
Adam's eyes glittered with curiosity. This form of granting life to plants was unfamiliar at the Tower. It appeared that venturing as an Explorer certainly had its merits. The opportunity to encounter diverse forms of knowledge easily compensated for any encountered perils.
Adam had no interest in engaging in a lengthy dialogue with them. Swinging his tail, he ushered the trembling Lina forward, commanding, "Explain our presence to them, you have a mere ten minutes."
A wave of coldness engulfed Lina's heart. A dragon setting a time frame indicated growing impatience, and facing a dragon's fury was beyond the endurance of weaker mundane races.
"Father, this is young master Chris, he..."
The chief cut her off vehemently, his voice seething with anger, "Lina, have you lost your mind? We have just tasted freedom, and here you are, ushering in a new Frost Dragon. Does servitude bring you joy?"
Lina glanced at her father and the familiar faces behind him, all bearing scornful gazes. She stuttered, "I didn't... Master Chris isn't like the others."
Her words were halted yet again, "What difference does it make? Dragons embody malevolence and greed. They are calamities incarnate. We've only just begun to experience peace, and you, you..."
Adam studied the forest elves who were loudly scolding before him, involving the dragon in their accusations. He wondered if his young facade instilled bravery in them. Surprisingly, they had the audacity to slander the dragon race so openly.
Moments before, Adam's display of might had profoundly unsettled Lina. Fearing that her father's harsh words might incite Adam to unleash his wrath, she dropped to her knees, attempting to explain, "Master, things aren't as they seem, my father, he just..."
Adam wasn't sufficiently provoked to act with violence. In his perspective, these forest elves were practically his subjects already: "Your time is dwindling, only five minutes remain."
Shaking, Lina rose to her feet and beseeched her father, "Father, it's not what you think." Struggling to find the right words to convince her father and the tribe to heed Adam's message, she could only repeat fragmented sentences in desperation.
"Silence, traitor! Bringer of doom, outsider!"
Adam sensed that the forest elf tribe appeared somewhat dauntless, showing no signs of taking him seriously. What was the source of their newfound boldness?
***Swish.***
Whether it was an involuntary twitch or a conscious act, an arrow zipped through the air, creating a sharp noise as it hurtled towards them, ultimately lodging firmly in the ground between Adam and Lina.
Adam revealed a menacing smile, unveiling his savage teeth. A terrifying coldness emanated from him, engulfing all the forest elves in attendance. His tone was steady, devoid of murderous intent, as he inquired solemnly, "Could someone explain, who empowered you to confront a dragon in such a manner?"
