The journey across the shifting sands was a trial of patience and atmospheric pressure. As Nico Sigmund wandered alongside his small companion, Sonari, the landscape began to bleed from the absolute void of the desert into the jagged outskirts where the first, desperate signs of life began to stir.

  ?Suddenly, Nico came to an abrupt halt. He didn't just stop; he froze, his senses expanding like a ripple in a dark pond. He knelt slowly, his dark, obsidian-hued fingers brushing against the coarse sand. He scooped up a handful, examining the grains with a cold, surgical precision. Within the pale dust were microscopic traces of glowing, iridescent blood. It hadn't yet dried; it hummed with a residual mana frequency that vibrated against his palms.

  ?A faint, chilling smile touched his lips—a gesture that carried no warmth, only the satisfaction of a predator finding a fresh trail.

  ?"It seems I am closer to the resonance than I imagined," he muttered, the wind whipping his black cloak. "Dragon Staff Castle was anchored here barely an hour ago. The spatial displacement is still warm."

  ?He glanced at Sonari, who was perched on his shoulder. The silver hatchling was trembling, her small nostrils flaring as she caught a scent that triggered an instinctive, primal fear. She let out a low, vibrating whine.

  ?"I was almost there," Nico continued, his eyes scanning the horizon. "I shall follow the path your mother, Suna, spoke of. Finding the Scarlet Elves is the key to anchoring that shifting fortress. I believe I know where the desperate go to hide."

  ?Nico understood the logic of the hunt. Queen Nera was not just a ruler; she was a harvester. It was logical for the prey to seek isolation in the most inhospitable reaches. However, 'expecting the unexpected' was the core of Nico's tactical framework.

  ?Yet, there was an immediate biological hurdle: Sonari was exhausted. The hatchling's movements were sluggish, her silver scales losing their luster. He recalled from the ancient scrolls he had devoured in Charles's library that young draconic vessels required high-fat nutrient intake—milk—to stabilize their initial growth.

  ?"Those books are finally proving to have a practical application," Nico thought. "Understanding the biological imperatives of life makes the manipulation of it much simpler. Come, Sonari. I spot a settlement ahead. We shall acquire your sustenance there."

  ?The Price of Milk

  ?Upon entering the small, dust-choked village, the familiar social pattern repeated itself. Eyes turned toward him—weary, fearful eyes that saw only a tall, dark-clad stranger with glowing red pupils. The dread was intensified by the sight of the dragon hatchling. The mortals seemed more terrified of the small, silver creature than of the man who carried it.

  ?Nico thought coldly, [I must suppress the 'Void' for now. I will interact with these mortals using their own currency: calm words. I have no inherent desire to slaughter a village of farmers... I only hope their provincial minds do not force my hand into a 'Correction'.]

  ?Nico stopped before an elderly man leaning against a stone well and inquired about milk. The man replied, his voice trembling so hard his teeth chattered against the wood of his pipe.

  ?"Yes, sir... there is a small farm on the eastern edge... owned by a local. He keeps cattle; they are the only source of milk in these parts since the drought took the rest."

  ?Nico offered a stiff nod of thanks and headed toward the farm. Hunger had completely drained Sonari's energy; she was now a heavy, limp weight on his shoulder. When he arrived at the wooden fence, the farm owner—a man with a face like cured leather and a temper to match—greeted him with a frantic, aggressive shout.

  ?"Who are you?! And why in the hell are you carrying a lizard like that? Have you gone mad?! Leave at once, or I shall summon the village guards and have you put in the stocks!"

  ?Nico ignored the shouting, his gaze fixed on the lowing cattle in the pen. "So, you are the proprietor of these biological resources. If you'll excuse the intrusion, I shall borrow one for a moment."

  ?"Impossible, you vagabond! You won't lay a finger on my cows! Leave, or I'll end you right here! You have no idea who I am in this village!"

  ?Nico shook his head with a flicker of mock pity, looking at the starving Sonari. "Give me a moment, little one. The noise will cease shortly."

  ?Minutes later, the farm was silent.

  ?Sonari was nursing directly from one of the cows, her small face alight with a primal joy and visible relief. Her silver scales began to shimmer once more as the nutrients flooded her system.

  ?Nearby, Nico sat coldly atop the farm owner's fresh corpse. He had twisted the man's head back and snapped his neck in one swift, lethal motion that ended the farmer's life before the man could even register the sensation of pain. Nico watched Sonari play energetically after she had finished, a microscopic smile appearing on his stoic features.

  ?"You creatures are truly interesting," Nico mused, his voice a low vibration in the quiet farm. "Despite your different species, your behaviors vary so much across the spectrum of greed and fear. Your emotions and thoughts are beginning to resonate within me—a strange feedback loop. It's not surprising—after all, this vessel is a human of the old world. Come, Sonari. The road to the fortress is still long."

  ?The Trail of the Pure Blood

  ?As he carried the rejuvenated hatchling, Nico's peripheral vision caught a movement. An Elf was watching from a distance, partially hidden behind a cluster of jagged rocks. She had pale pink skin—the hallmark of the Crimson Elves—and eyes of crystalline purity.

  ?The moment their eyes met, the girl didn't just retreat; she fled in an absolute, bone-deep terror. Nico didn't pursue her immediately to avoid causing a wider alarm in the village. Instead, he tracked her path through the dirt and the subtle displacement of mana she left behind.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  ?"She came to secure food for her collective," Nico observed. "Finally, the path becomes a straight line."

  ?Nico followed her secretly, moving like a shadow cast by a dying sun. The girl was skilled at fleeing through the rough terrain, but she lacked the situational awareness of a true warrior; she didn't realize that a 'void' was trailing her every step. She eventually entered a hidden fissure within a dark cavern that led to a deep, subterranean hideout.

  ?Inside, the air was thick with the scent of misery. Roughly seventy Crimson Elves were huddled together. Their faces were etched with the hunger and despair of a race on the brink of erasure.

  ?The girl entered, weeping as she apologized to her people for failing to bring back anything from the village. An elder—a man with long, silver-streaked hair and a face lined with centuries of burden—stepped forward to comfort her.

  ?"It's alright, my child... this is our fate. To starve in the dark is better than to be drained in the light."

  ?Suddenly, a terrifying, resonant voice shattered the silence of the cave:

  ?"So... you are the race of Pure-Blooded Scarlet Elves."

  ?The elves scrambled, huddling together in a mass of trembling limbs as Nico descended from the upper ledge of the cavern. He looked down at them with an intensity that seemed to drain the heat from the room.

  ?"You are skilled at running, little girl," Nico said, his eyes fixed on the one he had followed. "But you are weak in observation. You do not know how to camouflage your trail. Before entering a secret sanctuary, you must ensure no one is following you. You have led me straight to the heart of your secret."

  ?The girl fell to her knees, begging for mercy, but Nico interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

  ?"You misunderstand my purpose. I am not interested in your lives... I am interested in your hunter. Queen Nera."

  ?The elder's face froze. The name alone seemed to strike him like a physical blow. "Please, do not speak that name! She has brought us to the edge of extinction. She harvests thirty of us every three months just to drain our mana-blood into her vats... do not bring her here! She will kill us all!"

  ?A smile of grim determination appeared on Nico's face. "Exactly. That is exactly what I want. I want her to come here. I have a proposal for you: If I face her and triumph, your race will be safe forever. But if I lose... we all die. It is a more dignified end than running like cattle. If death is your destiny, then die resisting. Stop cowering in the dark."

  ?The elder spoke in shock, his voice cracking. "I cannot believe what I'm hearing... are you insane, human?! You don't understand Queen Nera's power... her rank is beyond your comprehension. You will doom us all!"

  ?Nico replied coldly, staring into the far distance of the cavern. "Yes... I am just insane enough to believe in a 'Correction'."

  ?The Logistics of War

  ?Nico studied the elderly man, his voice demanding but calm. "I have questions. Who is your leader? Is it you, wise one?"

  ?The elder bowed, a mixture of reverence and lingering fear in his eyes. "Yes, my lord... I am the current leader of these survivors. I am Elder Malitchi."

  ?"Good. My name is Nico Sigmund. And this small dragon is my companion, Sonari."

  ?"It is an honor, Lord Nico. I am Malitchi. Our race does not carry titles in our exile; this is my full name."

  ?Nico nodded slightly. "I see. Before we begin our tactical discussion, I have brought gifts that I believe you require desperately."

  ?Nico produced several large sacks he had acquired—partly through coin, partly through the 'Correction' of the farm. They were filled with grains, dried meats, and fruits. "This should sustain your seventy survivors for at least four days."

  ?Malitchi froze, his eyes widening in disbelief before they filled with tears. "Thank you, Lord Nico! We owe you our lives. Finally, we can satisfy the hunger of the children. Thank you once again!"

  ?Nico replied coldly, "It is no matter. Eat until you are full, and if needed, I can provide more. Especially you, Malitchi—recover your strength quickly. We have much to discuss regarding the architecture of the castle."

  ?Nico watched the Elves descend upon the food, muttering to himself, [I haven't truly saved you yet. This could be your final meal, or a new beginning. Everything is possible now.] He began to analyze the situation with cold tactical precision: [I must find a way to face this Queen. With my current vessel's limitations, a direct confrontation against a High Dragon is mathematically risky. Her mana stats likely reside in the Dragon Tier range (75,000,000 – 130,000,000). That is nearly three times the density of General Akaria. Perhaps these Elves have insight into her blood-manipulation abilities. And then there is the mystery of this dark energy within me; I do not know if this human frame can contain it if I release the full output.]

  ?He glanced at Sonari, who was watching the elf children with innocent curiosity. For the first time, Nico felt a rare pang of tactical regret. [I've made a potential error by bringing Sonari into this theater of war. Had I been able to leave her with Athena at the alliance headquarters, it would have been safer. But there is no turning back now... she stays with me until the end.]

  ?After some time, Malitchi approached Nico, looking ashamed but refreshed. "I apologize for the delay, Lord Nico. The food was... it was more than we dreamed of. We have been living on wild plants and the scraps of cities, sometimes going days without eating for fear that Nera's hounds would sense our elven mana. Her soldiers are elite—monsters in human form."

  ?"It's fine, Malitchi. Life isn't worth this much terror," Nico said, sitting on a stone outcrop. "Sit, and tell me the whole story."

  ?Malitchi began the tragic tale. "We were once a peaceful people, 130,000 strong, living atop a high mountain sanctuary away from prying eyes. We were known for our pure blood and longevity, until the betrayal occurred. We don't know who sold our location, but Queen Nera found us. She besieged our mountain and began kidnapping twelve of us every day, draining our blood until we became pale, empty husks. Then, she would feed the remains to her beasts."

  ?Malitchi continued sorrowfully, "She continued her extermination until we were reduced to this meager, shivering number. We had no heroes, no army. We believed in absolute peace until we met 'Absolute Evil' in the form of Nera. Even the rulers of empires avoid clashing with her due to her legendary army and her terrifying ability to manipulate blood entirely. According to the Union rankings, her rank is High Dragon (Rank 11+), and she is accompanied by generals of Legendary Rank. This is why I warned you, Nico. Courage is not a weapon against such a force."

  ?Nico fell silent, the red light in his eyes pulsing slowly. He looked Malitchi in the eye with a chilling seriousness.

  ?"I appreciate your warning, Malitchi. But I have a destiny I must follow to its logical conclusion. I do not know what awaits me at the gates of that castle, but I have a sense that great things are on the horizon. A world ruled by 'Absolute Evil' is a world that requires a 'Absolute Correction'."

  ?His tone sharpened. "Look at your people. They trust you. How long will you leave them to this slow, starving death? If I were in your place, I would face her even if I knew I would be erased. I would not give her the pleasure of hunting me like an animal. There are only two paths: confrontation or suicidal surrender. Confrontation is the only choice that preserves the dignity of your blood. So, Malitchi... will you sacrifice with me, or will you wait for the harvest here?"

  ?Malitchi's expression shifted instantly. He wiped his tears, and a hard, flinty seriousness replaced his despair. He looked at Nico and spoke with a steady, resonant voice.

  ?"We are with you, Lord Nico... until the end of the bloodline."

  ?Nico offered a nod of solemn respect. "That is how I want you, Malitchi. Moving forward is the only way to survive. Halting is always fatal."

  [End of Chapter 17]

  ?[Click here to see Character Art & Power