"Haa…"
August sighed to himself.
"Who are you?"
He asked the question that definitely should've been asked a long time ago.
The girl also relaxed after seeing that he'd lost his killing intent. She got off of him and straightened her clothes, patting her chest in relief.
"I was wondering when you were going to ask. You really act before thinking, don't you?"
"Not usually, but you asked for it, didn't you? How else was I supposed to respond?"
The girl shrugged.
"It really isn't my fault. If I knew you would react that way I would've never started off like that. You can't blame me for wanting to look mysterious."
August rolled his eyes. He was calmer now so he was able to put away his hostility, but he still didn't like that she'd evaded the first question.
"Am I getting an introduction any time soon?"
"Ah, right! I forgot about that."
The girl smiled sheepishly and held out her hand.
"My name is Valerie Revell," she said as August grabbed her hand.
She helped him up while continuing.
"I don't know if you remember, but you met my grandpa when you were still a kid."
August's eyes widened.
"Ah…"
Everything became clear at that moment.
Alcharist Revell was the name of the Wood Holy Dragon who'd helped him when he first transformed into his true body. Damien made sure that August knew the names of all sixteen ancestors who helped him back then.
He eventually needed to repay their favor, and beyond that, they would be a great help in his quest to take the throne.
He'd learned that wood dragons were a rare species. They didn't have the same reproductive capabilities as the rest of their species, only birthing a child once every ten millennia.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})In return, they were able to have children later in their lifetimes compared to others. Even the oldest wood dragons would still have a part in reproducing, since every single one of them knew how important it was to increase their numbers.
Back when Alcharist was a Holy Dragon, he only had one son and one daughter. His entire clan had less than a thousand dragons in it.
Now that so much time had passed, not only had Alcharist's children grown up, but they'd also had many of their own children.
The wood dragon clan was booming now. It was not quite a Holy Clan yet, but it was almost at that level. They had lived in hiding because they wanted peace, but it seemed like August's birth changed their stance.
"Grandpa said that a new Azure Dragon had been born. I don't really know what that means, but he made it sound super important," Valarie explained.
"I see…" August said, nodding his head.
"If Senior Alcharist is the one who told you, then it all makes sense."
Those sixteen ancestors all knew what he was. They'd been there during his first transformation, before his aura was ever concealed.
They'd lived for long enough to see Qinglong when he was the Dragon Emperor, so it was only natural for them to understand his origins.
Damien made sure they were sworn to silence on the matter, however, the oath only applied when they were trying to harm August with the information they had.
"But…why are you here?"
It couldn't be because of the heir wars. She didn't need to participate in the elimination round if she wanted to participate.
It also couldn't have been out of sheer curiosity. Alcharist wasn't one to allow such reckless action.
The only possible way for him to let her participate in this competition was–
"–apparently Grandpa wants me to go out to gain experience. He said that this place would be good for my training, and more importantly, he said that a certain Azure Dragon could probably use my help."
Valerie looked August up and down.
"Though, it doesn't seem like you really need it."
August smiled awkwardly.
"Sorry about that."
"Eh, it's already behind us."
August nodded.
She was flattering him, but he knew otherwise.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})He definitely needed help. Maybe not in the heir wars, but definitely in everything that came after.
Alcharist had sent her knowing this.
Her presence was a token of the entire Revell Clan's support.
They were fellows who shared the same goals as him. More importantly, if they were willing to back him in a situation where he actually had to go to war with the Holy Clans, then August could act with a lot more confidence.
He obviously didn't know how far their willingness to help went, but he was hoping for the best from the man who went as far as to come out of seclusion to help him gain confidence.
Even if it ended up being a minimal amount of support, August was still immensely grateful.
There were people who wanted to see him succeed.
That meant more than Valerie could ever know.
"Let me reintroduce myself," August said, his tone more formal.
"My name is August Void. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Valerie gave him a strange look.
"Pfft…!"
She couldn't help but laugh.
"What? What did I do?" August asked, slightly offended.
"Nothing, nothing," Valerie responded, still trying to stifle her laugh.
"It's just funny to see you acting all adult-like."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Didn't I say it's nothing, you brat?"
Valerie stepped forward and, in one move, put him in a headlock and started ruffling his hair.
"Did you forget that you're only ten? What are you doing acting like my dad?"
"Oi! Oi!" August exclaimed, trying to pull her arm off of him.
"That's just how I am! Let me go already!"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"Oh? That's just how you are? Really?"
August didn't know how he'd gotten into this situation, but he found himself being relentlessly teased by a girl he only just met.
He had to admit that this was the first time someone other than his father actually treated him like he was a child. It wasn't like he didn't understand what she was thinking, but he really was just like that!
He had been seeing an old man's memories every single night for far too long for him to not act like one!
What was he supposed to do?!
The actual competitive part of the elimination round ended when August decided not to kill her.
August ended up trying to wrestle Valerie off of him. They ended up on the ground and got covered in mud before he got her off of him.
At that point, they started sparring. They didn't get to finish their previous fight, and they were quite competitive people.
Plus. if it looked too still in the forest after all of the mayhem they caused earlier, what would people think when they both walked out without many injuries?
They at least had to simulate a fight.
And, they were both curious about who would actually win.
August was more than able to fight her on equal terms. If they both went all-out, would she be able to hold an advantage just because she was stronger on paper?
They fought to find out, and they fought well.
…well, for just a minute or two.
Just as they got into it, they heard horns blaring all around them.
"Ah…!"
"Oh, right…"
They suddenly remembered where they were.
In the fifteen or so minutes that they spent fighting, the situation had changed massively outside.
The elimination round was forced to come to an abrupt halt.
After all, rather than the fifty people they had originally planned to pass…
…only fifteen remained.
