Chapter 397: News of the Wood God Dragon
"Alright, let's sign a contract with this transformation of mine!"
Ren's voice echoed through the vast, water-hued chambers of the aquatic temple. As he spoke, he bit down on his thumb, drawing a bead of crimson blood before unrolling a wide strip of blank parchment across the stone floor.
Channeling the immense chakra from his current Take Over state, Ren began writing out the intricate formulas of a summoning contract. In the world of shinobi, the Summoning Jutsu was a relatively common and fundamental technique. However, the application of it varied wildly depending on the sheer power of the user.
Within Uchiha Madara's memories, his only contracted summoned spirit was the legendary Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. It was not a partnership born of mutual respect, but a contract forcibly imposed upon the beast after Madara subjugated its will entirely with his Sharingan.
In Madara's eyes, even the apocalyptic power of the Nine-Tails was nothing more than a convenient tool. He looked down upon all the Tailed Beasts, viewing them as mindless animals that could be commanded, weaponized, or slaughtered at his absolute whim.
This was the core of Uchiha Madara's domineering, tyrannical nature. Yet, ironically, he wasn't the only one who viewed the world's most terrifying entities with such casual arrogance.
Senju Hashirama, the revered God of Shinobi, was equally overwhelming in his own right. He had effortlessly subdued all nine Tailed Beasts by himself, treating them less like divine calamities and more like geopolitical bargaining chips to be casually gifted to the other Five Great Nations.
It was a testament to the fact that, in the eyes of transcendent experts like Hashirama and Madara, these supposedly unstoppable forces of nature were nothing significant at all. Ren, however, had no intention of treating a God Dragon like a mindless pet.
As the intricate black formulas spider-webbed across the parchment, Mercphobia stepped forward. The Water God Dragon infused a trace of his own immense magical power into the scroll, officially signing the summoning contract.
With a flare of ethereal light, the intricate ink bound itself to the laws of space and time. Ren smiled, smoothly rolling up the parchment and storing it away within his spatial inventory.
"Alright, you can relax. This is strictly a contract for spatial summoning," Ren explained, his tone reassuring. "It won't influence your judgment, alter your mind, or force you to do anything against your will. If the situation arises, I simply hope you can lend a hand when I need you."
Mercphobia offered a solemn, respectful nod. "I am mentally prepared for that burden. I will help you as much as I possibly can."
The Water God Dragon paused, his expression turning serious. "However, if it is a command that goes against my conscience or threatens innocent lives, I must beg your pardon and refuse."
Mercphobia could sense the inherent nature of the magic binding the contract. He knew Ren was telling the truth; the spatial seal would not restrict his free will. Furthermore, considering Ren had just saved him from his own overflowing power, preventing him from losing his mind and destroying Elmina, the young mage was undeniably his greatest benefactor.
As long as Ren didn't command him to indiscriminately massacre the innocent, Mercphobia was more than willing to cross continents to fight by his side.
"That's completely fine. I wouldn't ask that of you anyway," Ren replied, his spirits visibly soaring.
Inwardly, Ren couldn't help but feel a profound sense of accomplishment. He could technically consider himself a bona fide 'Dragon Knight' now, couldn't he? In all the epic high-fantasy tales and RPGs from his past life, commanding a dragon was the absolute pinnacle of power.
More importantly, facing the impending, world-ending threats of the Alvarez Empire, the Black Wizard Zeref, and the Black Dragon Acnologia was an incredibly daunting prospect. Claiming he felt no pressure regarding the upcoming wars would be a blatant lie.
But now, with a legitimate God Dragon standing by his side as an ally, that suffocating pressure was significantly alleviated. He finally had a trump card capable of shaking the very foundations of the world.
"Mr. Elefseria," Ren called out, turning his gaze toward the ethereal projection of the Magia Dragon Guild Master. "I consider this part of the Water God Dragon task officially completed, right?"
Ren gestured toward the calm, composed Mercphobia. "The Water God Dragon has signed a binding contract with me. If he ever loses control and causes havoc in the world again, I can directly summon him to my location and either slay him or seal him away completely."
Ren looked at the ancient Law Dragon expectantly. Turning Mercphobia into his summoned ally was a brilliant, unexpected bonus, but his primary objective remained unchanged. He needed the old man's official acknowledgment to complete this phase of the Hundred Year Quest and claim his system rewards.
"Hmm..." Elefseria stroked his long, white beard, his spectral face caught in a state of deep, conflicting emotions. "Yes... I suppose I must consider it completed."
The ancient guild master was genuinely baffled. Over the past century, he had imagined countless bloody scenarios regarding how this impossible task might finally be accomplished. Never in his wildest dreams did he anticipate it ending with a peaceful diplomatic contract.
The Water God Dragon, an entity once known as a great and terrible evil, had genuinely turned benevolent. It was a reality that left the old man profoundly puzzled, yet he couldn't deny the peaceful aura now radiating from the creature before him.
With Mercphobia formally becoming Ren's summoned ally and protector of Elmina, asking the young mage to ruthlessly execute the dragon now was simply unrealistic.
"Mercphobia," Elefseria spoke, his ancient voice carrying the heavy, weary weight of a hundred years. "Since you have truly changed your ways, let the past remain in the past. I only hope you will continue to embrace this kindness and coexist peacefully alongside humanity."
It was a monumental concession. Deep down, Elefseria still harbored a lingering hatred for the Water God Dragon, remembering the countless comrades who had perished a century ago.
Yet, as he looked at the remorseful deity, he realized that the agonizingly long passage of time had gradually worn away the sharpest edges of his vengeance. Their positions had simply been different back then; one was a protective human, the other an instinctual dragon.
In an era defined by mutual, bloody slaughter, such tragedies were commonplace. After a hundred years, Elefseria could no longer even remember if the Water God Dragon had struck first, or if his own guild had foolishly provoked the beast.
"So, that's one-fifth of the legendary quest officially in the bag," Ren smiled, clapping his hands together. "Now, can you tell me where the remaining four dragons are hiding?"
Ren looked at Elefseria, eager for the next set of clues. The sooner he hunted down the remaining God Dragons, the sooner he could fully prepare for the inevitable clash with Acnologia.
Elefseria merely sighed, spreading his hands in a gesture of helpless defeat. "I told you back at the guild, boy. I genuinely do not know."
The old man shook his head. "I only knew the Water God Dragon's specific location because Elmina is relatively close to the Magia Dragon guild's territory. As for the other four God Dragons, their whereabouts have been a mystery to me for decades."
Hearing this, Ren furrowed his brow. He slowly turned his gaze toward Mercphobia, hoping the aquatic deity might have kept tabs on his mythological peers.
"I do have a solid clue about one of them," Mercphobia spoke up, easily picking up on Ren's silent inquiry. "The Wood God Dragon, Aldoron."
Mercphobia's revelation did not disappoint.
"The Wood God Dragon, Aldoron," Ren repeated, testing the heavy name on his tongue.
The mention of the 'wood' attribute instantly made Ren think of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. Considering he was currently wielding the immense power of Uchiha Madara, the irony of hunting down a colossal, wood-manipulating entity was not lost on him.
"Correct," Mercphobia nodded solemnly. "He is widely considered to be the absolute largest dragon in the world. It is said that he commands the fundamental power of nature itself and possesses the terrifying ability to see straight through the hearts of men."
"Where is he?" Ren asked directly, his eyes sharpening with focus. If he was going to complete the Hundred Year Quest, naturally, he had to deal with this behemoth next.
"Drasil," Mercphobia answered without hesitation.
"Drasil? He's actually hiding there?" Elefseria chimed in, his ethereal eyes widening in genuine surprise.
Ren glanced between the two ancients. "What's so special about Drasil?"
"It isn't a matter of it being 'special' in the magical sense," Elefseria explained, his tone heavy. "It is the single largest, most populated city on the entire Guiltina Continent. It operates as our central metropolis."
"A central metropolis..." Ren muttered, a spark of genuine interest lighting up his eyes.
Aside from fighting world-ending threats and hoarding system rewards, observing the local customs, architecture, and magical practices of new cities was one of Ren's favorite hobbies. A sprawling, continent-spanning capital sounded like the perfect place to explore.
Ren immediately turned his gaze back to Elefseria, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. "Well then, old man. Give me a lift."
Elefseria's spectral jaw nearly hit the floor. "Who do you think I am, your personal carriage driver?!"
Seeing Ren act so utterly entitled to a cross-continental teleportation spell instantly infuriated the ancient Guild Master. His ghostly face flushed a deep, magical crimson.
"Hey, isn't this to help me complete your impossible task faster?" Ren argued playfully, crossing his arms. "Besides, I'm new to this continent and completely unfamiliar with the geography. What if I take a wrong turn and get lost?"
"I think you just want an excuse to be lazy!" Elefseria barked, his beard trembling with indignation. "Use your own two feet, brat!"
Without giving Ren another second to argue, Elefseria aggressively activated his spatial magic. With a sharp, ringing hum, the holographic projection of the Law Dragon completely vanished, cutting the connection back to the guild.
"This old man... he's really not cute at all," Ren complained discontentedly, clicking his tongue. "It's just giving me a quick lift. Such a stingy geezer, especially since I'm the one risking my neck for his century-old chore."
Watching the bizarre, comedic interaction, Mercphobia couldn't help but offer a soft, rumbling chuckle. The Water God Dragon reached into the folds of his robes, pulling out a beautifully detailed parchment map and handing it to Ren.
"This is a comprehensive map of the Guiltina Continent," Mercphobia offered gently. "It clearly marks the safest and most direct route to the city of Drasil."
Seeing the intricate cartography, Ren smiled brightly and securely tucked it into his jacket. "Thanks, Mercphobia. You're much more reliable than that old man."
"It is I who should be thanking you, Ren," Mercphobia replied, his tone shifting to one of profound reverence. "If not for your intervention, my mind would have shattered. I wouldn't be standing here so calmly right now."
The Water God Dragon bowed his head, expressing his deepest, unfiltered gratitude to the human who had saved his soul.
"You earned this peace yourself," Ren said, his voice softening. "If you were still acting like a bloodthirsty tyrant, my methods wouldn't have been nearly so gentle. But you chose to protect your people."
Ren stretched his arms above his head, popping his shoulders as he prepared to depart. "Alright, matters here are officially settled. I should hit the road before it gets dark. We'll talk again when there's time to relax."
Ren offered a casual wave to Mercphobia, turning on his heel to begin the long trek toward the continent's capital.
"Lord Ren," Mercphobia called out, his voice echoing with absolute sincerity. "If you require my strength to deal with the other four God Dragons, please do not hesitate. Summon me directly, and I will fight by your side."
Ren paused, glancing over his shoulder with a confident, razor-sharp smirk. He gently waved his hand, dismissing the generous offer.
"No need. This is my assigned task," Ren declared, his eyes burning with an unyielding, competitive fire. "Besides, if I can't even handle these overgrown lizards on my own, how the hell am I supposed to deal with Acnologia?"
Ren turned back toward the horizon, his silhouette framed by the shimmering, aquatic light of the temple.
"Consider this entire quest a necessary test for me. I'll see you around, Mercphobia."
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