"NO! I don't want to!"
Ignatius roared furiously, releasing flames in every direction like a volcano about to erupt.
"Come on, what other choice do you have? Just sitting here for all eternity? You'll go crazy. At least help me find a way to set you free."
"I won't trust you, you damned human warlock!" Ignatius bellowed. "Your parents killed me, and you ate my soul! Do you really think I'd trust you?!"
"But if you don't… you'll stay trapped in this soul forever. Why not try becoming my familiar?" I asked, keeping my voice calm.
"NEVER! GRAAAAAHH!"
He let out a thunderous roar and unleashed a devastating breath attack, engulfing me in fire. As if that wasn't enough, he stomped me into ash.
Sigh…
I regenerated back again, dusting off imaginary cinders from my soul projection.
"Stop wasting your energy. That won't work on me," I told him, yawning.
"My will is unshakable! I was forged in endless battles, honed by fire and blood!"
He slashed my soul-body again, then burned it to a crisp, then squashed me underfoot like a bug.
Seriously, how is this guy so okay with annihilating a literal one-year-old kid?
"You're kinda evil, you know. Constantly murdering a baby like this? If I tried to kill a baby dragon, I'd at least hesitate," I muttered.
"You humans are parasites!" Ignatius snarled. "You leech off the world's lifeblood! You corrupt it with your greed! The world suffers because of your kind!"
"The world cries…?"
"You wouldn't understand! The sins of your race are too deep! The only salvation is your extinction!" he roared.
"Really now? Come on, give me the details. I'm open-minded," I pressed.
"BE SILENT AND DIE!"
And so, I was roasted and flattened again.
Naturally, I reformed.
"Hehehe… I can do this forever, Ignatius. Let's see which one of us breaks first," I grinned.
"You'll never get through me!" he snarled back, fire raging behind his eyes.
And so, each night became a repeating cycle of torment and verbal war. Thankfully, I've trained myself to dull my senses while inside my soul, so the pain doesn't even register anymore. I just stand there and talk while getting splattered across the floor.
Aside from nightly dragon torture, I kept myself busy with practice. For the past three days, I've focused on training Fire and Nature magic.
The results? Not bad, actually.
Thanks to my pendant, my flame intensity had increased, and I could cast Ember several times in a row more smoothly.
Naturia—my leafy little Spirit—helped me manage Nature magic more efficiently. Before, moving plants was mentally draining. Since they have no mind of their own, I had to act as their will. Pretty exhausting.
With Naturia, however, I could maintain control longer. She boosted my mana stamina, absorbing some of the cost and mental load. It was like gaining a second battery. Still, both of us would tire out if we pushed too hard.
But progress was progress. Magic growth isn't supposed to be instant, after all.
And now—it was finally time.
Today, I was going to visit Aquarina's town! My first journey into the outside world!
Mom told me we'd stay for an entire week. Better yet, we could do this once or twice per month. No more single-day visits!
Our house would be fine in our absence. My parents left behind security measures, including a barrier maintained by massive alchemy-fused crystals.
They called them "mana crystal batteries." Apparently, Mom made them herself by fusing monster cores, purifying them, and then filling them with her mana. Four of them powered the barrier for ten years. It's like magical solar panels but for hardcore wizards.
Oh, and guards too. Not your everyday swordsmen, though.
These guards were something else entirely.
Mom had shown me earlier what a real summon looked like.
"Create Summon: Archangel Guard Troops."
Her voice rang out softly as radiant light engulfed the room.
And then—
An army of winged men clad in brilliant white armor emerged, glowing with divine energy…
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