Dyon might have been meditating near the true treasure of this world, but that didn't mean he was the only one who had made gains. In fact, if one subtracted his cultivation gains, he might not have necessarily made the greatest profit either. A surprising truth considering he had gained several dozen Empyrean heavenly herbs.
One mustn't forget that aside from looking for the source that caused Mount Volaire's creation, the main reason most weathered the danger of this mountain was in order to find higher quality volcanic ore and mist glass. Judging by Roe's attitude, it was clear he was quite happy with his harvest.
However, Skull's thoughts were completely different. After his surprise faded, his gaze sharpened. The fact Dyon really had survived so long, and alone at that, told him that his guess of all those years ago really might be correct.
"You're the one who killed Old Bear?" Skull's jaw set.
Roe immediately frowned at this line of questioning. "Skull, don't ask questions you don't want the answer to. He's backed by Crystella and he obviously isn't simple. Don't be stupid. The eruption event is ending soon, we need to get out of here. We might even be rewarded if we help him go out."
"Shut up!" Skull scowled.
Dyon walked across the lava surface as though walking on water, his hands in the pockets of his sweats and his chest bare. He seemed to not even notice the two men before him, nor the heat around him.
As for Roe and Skull, they were using special treasures to protect their feet, obviously unable to withstand the heat as easily as Dyon. But, they foolishly believed that Dyon had used a special formation to do this, rather than grasping the reality that he was simply using his own flesh and bone.
"Speak up! I asked you a question!" Skull roared.
"… Why are idiots always so noisy?"
Dyon flashed forward. Before Skull could even react, Dyon's arm was through his chest, clutching his heart through the bloodied mess.
"I hear that immortals are very good at surviving fatal damage. I wonder how long you'd last if I crushed your heart right now?"
Skull trembled in fear. As for Roe, his lazy appearance completely disappeared as he accelerated backward, the shock and trembling anxiety clear in his gaze.
"Sorry, that's impolite. You asked me a question first, right? If Old Bear is that pirate who tried to rob me and my women in the desert plains, then yea, I killed him. I think he said something about wanting to sell me off as a slave, don't tell me that's what you want to do too?"
Skull trembled and tried to open his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a gurgle as he vomited up mouthfuls of blood.
"… Is this what you wanted out of me?" Dyon took out a piece of mist glass with his free hand, flicking it up and allowing it to land in his palm. "… Just what is so special about this thing? Care to tell me?"
Skull tried to speak again, but he was simply unable to. In grabbing his heart, Dyon had used too much strength and caused a miniature explosion to go off in his body. At the same time, almost like a toxin, Skull's body was shutting down in the presence of Dyon's own. It was as though it was rejecting the idea of being allowed to exist in the same space as Dyon.
It was truly unfortunate for Skull. The combination of Dyon's Death God Body and the Sovereign Flame was too potent. Its breath of death fused with his Presence, tapping into a new ability of the Constitution… The Breath of Death.
Dyon hadn't even consciously activated it. One could imagine its potency if he had.
"Forget it." Dyon said impatiently. "I'll just take what I want."
Dyon's arm came out of Skull's chest and buried a hole into his head, snatching his nascent soul.
"[Devour]."
Dyon stood for a moment motionlessly. Devouring an Immortal was several times more difficult. He had to sort through tens of millions of years of memories.
"Oh? So that's what it is? And you've even found a source in Mount Volaire that you've been keeping hidden all to yourself, huh? In that case, I'll take it for myself."
Gazing at Skull's corpse barely hanging to his wrist, Dyon thought for a moment before throwing him into his inner world. He didn't feel like turning such a weak body into his corpse puppet. But, it could be useful in other ways.
Then, Dyon turned toward Roe, a dull expression hanging from his handsome face.
"… Please spare me. You heard my words just now, I had no intention of attacking you." Roe said after taking a deep breath.
How did he have such bad luck? How could there be a mortal who was so powerful?
Recognizing a mortal wasn't just about strength. If that was so, then no one could ever look down upon Dyon.
Mortals simply had a different presence. It was one that lacked harmony with the Heavens. They were almost like an impurity on the Immortal Plane. The way the wind, the earth, and energy flowed around them was just fundamentally different, as though the Heavens wanted nothing to do with them, like they were an untouchable stain. An Immortal could instinctually tell when they ran into a mortal.
But, it was clear and obvious that if they wanted to use this to underestimate Dyon, it would only mean their deaths.
"… Who are you exactly?" Dyon asked out of curiosity, giving her an intent gaze.
Roe's lip twitched. "… I am the City Lord of Vaneta City… I'm nothing but a puppet, really…"
He had hoped his answer and humility would give him a greater chance at life. But his heart sank when he saw Dyon's darkened expression.
"How many mortal slave markets do you think there are in Vaneta City?"
