For the following half an hour, only Elvira’s scream could be heard resounding from the battle ring.
Aeliana tortured her to her heart’s content, using all methods she could think of, including ordinary methods such as skinning, ripping nails, eye gorging, and organ removal.
She did everything to inflict the most significant pain on Elvira, causing some True Dragons to have mixed feelings.
Only the close families and friends of the young dragon that had been killed took pleasure in watching the gruesome sight.
But even they couldn’t help but silently admit that it was a wicked thing to do to another life.
Nevertheless, Aeliana was eventually satisfied with her revenge when Elvira exhausted her strength from screaming and started pleading for quick release.
A part of Aeliana wanted to continue, but she couldn’t keep her Lord waiting.
Thus, she eventually ended Elvira’s life.
…
“It’s finally over,” Lord Narvim said with a soft sigh before commenting, “No life deserves such suffering.”
The dragon lord detested Elvira for her heinous acts against a Wood Spirit, but even he couldn’t bear to watch her wail in pain.
During Vaan’s short stay at Ninth Peak, he had come to understand that the Lord of the Ninth Peak was a bit of a pacifist.
However, he wasn’t so sure if the dragon lords of the other eight mountain peaks were the same.
Nevertheless, if the other dragon lords had the same strength as Lord Narvim, then the red dragon tribe was powerful beyond belief.
They had the power to erase any human kingdom from existence if Transcendent Witches weren’t added into the picture.
“Thank you, my Lord. I was able to win, thanks to your blessings,” Aeliana expressed her gratitude after reaching Vaan’s location.
“It’s nothing much. I hope you find some peace after succeeding in your revenge,” Vaan casually said before returning his attention to the dragon lord.
“I apologize for making you watch something unsightly, Your Excellency,” Vaan apologized before arguing, “However, I beg to differ. Some irredeemable lives deserve such suffering. Perhaps, it will teach them to do more good in their next life after understanding the pain that they inflict on others.”
“Fighting violence with violence is not the answer. It’s just an endless cycle of hatred,” Lord Narvim casually stated.
“The cycle of hatred can’t continue if everyone is dead.” Vaan shook his head with a slight smile and said, “Sometimes, it takes a greater evil to defeat evil.”
“Except evil can’t be erased,” Lord Narvim replied.
“No, but it can be defeated again and again,” Vaan casually stated.
Lord Narvim glanced at Vaan in the eye and said, “If not for everything you’ve said and shown thus far, I might have mistaken you for a righteous person, Vaan.”
“Me? Righteous?” Vaan shook his head with a soft chuckle and said, “That can’t be farther from the truth, Your Excellency. I simply believe there should be balance in all things. Although I condemn evil, I also don’t mind getting my hands dirty if it is required of me.”
“You might call be hypocritical or selfish, but such is life. What is right and wrong when one’s life is at stake? I’m just doing what I can to live in this unforgiving world,” Vaan stated.
Lord Narvim tried to smile after listening to Vaan, but his smile looked especially terrifying and menacing as a dragon.
Nevertheless, he didn’t disagree.
“Walk with me,” Lord Narvim stated.
Shortly after Vaan nodded, he followed the dragon lord into the battle ring before they stopped before Elvira’s corpse.
“Poor thing,” Lord Narvim uttered after glancing at Elvira’s corpse, but Vaan knew the dragon lord was referring to the Wood Spirit.
“Can you save the Wood Spirit, Your Excellency?” Vaan inquired.
At the same time, Astoria and Hester had made their way over. However, they didn’t speak and simply listened in.
“This Lord can try, but it is unlikely. Perhaps, only a Rank 6 divine being can save it,” Lord Narvim replied before mentioning, “Spirits are pretty much in their astral forms. Thus, when they are torn apart, it’s akin to losing a piece of their soul.”
“Although this Lord can extract the Wood Spirit from the black witch and piece her back together, this Lord can’t make up for what she has lost,” Lord Narvim stated before casting a glance at Aeliana. “Unless…”
Lord Narvim didn’t finish his sentence, but everyone understood his meaning. He needed the Wood Spirit’s essence that was inside Aeliana.
“Of course, that also doesn’t guarantee a high chance of success even if this Lord gathered all the Wood Spirit’s pieces. Bringing back a lost soul is god’s domain,” Lord Narvim mentioned.
Furthermore, it was unlikely for Aeliana to agree to it.
After all, it was detrimental to her since the Wood Spirit’s essence inside her had already perfectly fused and become a part of her.
Perhaps, her own soul would be at stake if the Wood Spirit’s essence was extracted from her.
“This Lord will give the Wood Spirit a proper burial,” Lord Narvim shortly stated before saying, “Hopefully, the new spirit born from its remain won’t have to go through the same tragic experience.”
A few moments later, everyone witnessed the dragon lord speaking in its dragon language, imbued with mana.
Its mana-imbued words invoked magic, and Elvira’s body transmutation was slowly reversed, allowing the Wood Spirit’s remains to be extracted along with other creatures she had merged with her body.
After the Wood Spirit’s remains were collected, Vaan and the others watched the dragon lord pieced the Wood Spirit back together.
However, several parts that made it whole were clearly missing.
The Wood Spirit was missing a left hand, right toe, and parts of her wings. Although it didn’t seem like much, that was only on the surface.
The Wood Spirit was missing more crucial parts internally.
Nevertheless, much of the Wood Spirit’s external features were restored; she had her eyes closed and appeared to be peacefully sleeping. But no matter how much they want it, the Wood Spirit wouldn’t be able to open her eyes.
Even so, everyone vaguely Wood Spirit’s lingering will to live.
The dragon lord sighed again with helplessness as he was unable to help the Wood Spirit proceed further beyond this point.
It was beyond his ability.
Nevertheless, Vaan glanced at the Wood Spirit with a contemplating look.
Spirits were quite rare, to begin with. Thus, he felt like letting it go without trying something would be a waste.
Perhaps, only he can help it.
“May I, Your Excellency?” Vaan requested.