Trella couldn’t hide the pleasure as the clan members gathered around. “He has healers tending him. He has guards. He has loyalty. It’s going to take time and patience, but we can take all of that. Eclipse is a full sized panther when it’s darkest. So over the next few days, she’s going to hunt, starting with healers, and only when she can kill for certain.”

  “That damned barrier. We need a way through,” Basu Fen said. “Do you have some skill for that?”

  Kaden shook his head. “No. But I do have a plan. We had a problem with a boss monster who had an entire hive protecting her. We coudn’t have killed them all. We couldn’t have torn the nest apart.”

  “The dragon.” Eve spoke. “You mean to get the Ice Dragon and lure it here. To pit the power of a dragon against the gear of a second-lifer.”

  “How?” Sara asked. “He’s not Suridev. You can’t reason or bargain. And Alev, the Fire Dragon, wasn’t exactly friendly.”

  “He’s not going to be friendly,” Kaden said. “But I have a plan. The first night I met him, I nearly killed the dragon because he was in a small form. He likes a challenge. I can give him a challenge.”

  Ashi grasped his shoulder. “Even you are not a match for a dragon.”

  Kaden wasn’t sure about that. “I nearly killed it. I could have killed it, if I came prepared. I’m going to kill it eventually, and cut a scale off its body. And teach it that if it wants to hunt me, it better come with all its power.”

  “No.” Trella spoke quietly. “Don’t do this. Please.”

  He put his hand on hers. *You told me once, I needed to trust you. That you had the skills to handle the [Slaver]. It’s going to cost me, but I can bring the dragon down on Samuel.*

  Trella yanked her hand away. Then gripped his firmly. *If anyone can, it’s you.*

  “I’m going into the domain tonight,” Kaden said to Basu and Kai Fen. “When I succeed, I’m going to come through that gate with a [Dragon] on my heels. I need you to have all the clan on the other side so you’re not collateral damage. When we take down the barrier, the rest is on you. You have to handle his Adventures. You have to kill Samuel himself. Anything else and someone else thinks they can do what he did.”

  “The Accord does not take orders from you,” Kai Fen said.

  “But we will hold counsel on it,” Basu added.

  Sara and Eve spoke in hushed tones, but as Kaden turned to leave, Sara spoke. “We can help the Beserkers build rage. [Anthem of the End] will count as an attack, and Eve can heal them. There’s a window where they’re vulnerable. We can close that window.”

  “Be ready. I’m going to scout and plan first, then enrage a dragon.” Kaden turned to head out toward the gates—and Trella stood in his path.

  “You have a way to kill him? You’re certain?” she asked softly.

  At a steep price. “I know I can kill him once. Everything else is up to skill.”

  “I have to stay to guide Eclipse so Samuel has no support left.”

  “And I have to go. When I come back, it’s going to be with a pissed off dragon on my trail.” Kaden wrapped his arms around her. “I’ve done crazier things.”

  “You have not.” She drew potions from Inventory, handing them over. “Bleed, mana, stamina, health. All the basics. And my second-best map of the Domain.”

  He kissed her again.

  “Kaden.” Eve spoke clearly, loudly. “You have my Blessing. Make that dragon bleed.”

  You have received the Blessing of a Priestess (Evelyn Black). When you inflict [Bleed] on enemies, your damage will be boosted. You may sacrifice a percentage of your health for a damage boost that matches your sacrifice. Surrendering this boost or blessing will not restore the health without healing.

  He sprinted for the domain gate.

  ###

  The sun stood high in the sky as Kaden emerged through the gate. Arrogance was the key to his plan, but first Kaden wanted to put planning behind the plan, and that started with ensuring he could find his way back to the gate. He’d emerged in a narrow cavern six paces wide and eight high. Ice along the floor said this had once been a stream, but now it was solid and lead out to a lake.

  With [Stealth Aura] engaged, Kaden exited the cave and began to climb, using the [Levicon Blade] to carve handholds. It took hours to reach a point at which he could see far into the distance. Those were probably groundhouse openings far, far to the west. To the east was a valley that looked a great deal like where he’d first entered the Domain. Trella’s map agreed, marking his position.

  Now he felt confident he could find his way back, the second stage would be surviving. If the dragon accepted Kaden’s challenge, it would pick a reasonable size to hunt a single person. That didn’t mean the Domain Gates would be open, and it mattered a great deal that Kaden came out of the gate he’d gone in through.

  For that, Kaden trecked on foot to the far end of a valley, memorizing a second Portal location. He was decent at single portal locations, as long as one was careful and kept their expectations about losing limbs reasonable. Two locations, he’d managed on occasion.

  To survive it would take at least three.

  He avoided the clan village, instead setting a portal location near the far-frozen lake. So much would depend on the dragon making bad decisions and Kaden finding the edges of abilities. It would have been easier with Garm, but he’d made the best choice at this time.

  The list of abilities dragons were capable of was as long as the number of taverns, but most of them tended to elemental manipulation, deadly breath, and sheer strength. So this battle would be one that Kaden planned to deny those. It ran counter to his normal way of fighting, but normal didn’t kill dragons or enrage them to the point of having them rampage.

  This was the sort of thing that was supposed to fall to Centurions, to people with vast power who could defy even a cataclysm.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  But as Kaden headed toward the biggest, baddest boss he could find, one thought kept coming back. Maybe that was the lie that let everyone focus on their own needs. That someone more powerful would come along and handle the problem.

  Maybe someone was coming to save the day, and maybe they’d be there soon. But right now, Kaden was here. He found the [Lurpion]’s spawning point. It had definitely come back weaker and dumber, having adapted its tail to a [Skeledeer]. Or maybe that was the right lure to attract clan members. Regardless, he climbed high up the mountain side and took aim, hurling a rock.

  The [Lurpion] errupted from the snow, lashing out—then, finding nothing, it sank back down, burying itself with shovels of snow from its claws. Excellent.

  Now, there was only waiting, waiting for night to fall, and the storms to roll over the domain, blanketing the world in snow. Waiting for the air to grow heavy with mana, for the world to go silent as every creature, even the bosses, held their breath and hope the dragon’s attention would pass on.

  Kaden roused himself, preparing, as the dragon sailed closer and closer, charting a path down the center of the valley. He focused on [Beast Command] as he shouted, trusting the skill to get attention over the wind. “Dragon!”

  The storm itself paused, the world momentarily silent so that even the crack of trees far down the mountain, rang out—the wind blasted toward Kaden as the dragon turned lazily, pivoting toward his vantage point on the mountain.

  In this form, each wing stretched out longer than a groundhouse, and a trio of tails stretched out behind it, while the vast head narrowed to a blunt point like an alligator with glowing blue eyes.

  *Prey.* It spoke the judgement as absolute.

  Dragons gave off a fear that spoke to the deepest part of Kaden’s mind, saying he was better off being quiet. Better off running now. Better off not looking back so at least he wouldn’t see the end coming. Kaden ignored that voice. “This is your domain. And the world outside is cold as well, because of your power. But a second-lifer has decided to re-make that world. To transform it into a warm, tropical paradise.”

  *Never!* The dragon floated closer, locking its gaze on Kaden.

  Ice formed on his skin just from its presence.

  “I swear before the system this is true. I was hoping I could convince you to come and show him the power of Ice. Tear down his stronghold and let the clans do the rest. They’re not powerful enough to overcome a second-lifer, but I bet you are.” Flattery would get Kaden everywhere, he hoped. And if it wouldn’t, there was always the backup plan.

  The world hung motionless. *Not your servant. Not your pawn, prey.*

  Backup plan it was. Kaden checked his portal locations. “I understand. I mean, if you can’t even handle me, how are you going to handle a second-lifer? No, it’s better that you stay safe in your domain.”

  The ice dragon roared in idignation. *Mouthy prey. I kill.*

  “Not interested. I already have scales from the good dragons. Death. Ocean. Solar. Fire. The powerful ones. I mean, I guess I could kill you. You might make some decent boots.”

  The dragon roared, sucking in the power of the storm. Kaden didn’t hesitate, throwing open a portal and leaping through as the power of ice itself obliterated the mountain side. As quickly as he’d left, he leaped back through, trusting the [Ulfen Boots] to keep him steady on the ice-covered mountainside. “I saw the Fire Dragon breathe fire once, it was really impressive. Not that you should be ashamed. You’re doing the best you can. In a way, I feel bad about for you.”

  *Arrogant prey. Now comes death.* The dragon’s thoughts shook the domain and made Kaden’s nose bleed.

  “I’ve got a bow. You really don’t want me to shoot you with it.” Kaden drew an actual arrow from Inventory. “You should probably dodge.”

  The ice dragon drifted closer and closer, roaring with laughter as it threw back its head.

  The arrow sailed through the frozen night, leaving a trail of frost in its wake and slammed into the dragon’s hind leg. And shattered.

  Damage rounded up to one point.

  You have inflicted 1x poison.

  You have inflicted 1x bleed.

  The monstrous head swung away from Kaden as the dragon dipped down, gnawing at its own leg, and in that moment, Kaden risked everything, sprinting, leaping, sailing out into the night to land atop the dragon.

  With the [Levicon Blade,] he carved a handhold. “That was a [Splinter Swarm] arrow, apparently left over from before the last catclysm. I only had one, but I only need one, because you are made of mana.”

  [Splinter Swarm — Arrow Head]

  This head will divide on impact. With every point of mana it draws from the target, it will further divide. Any mana regen will result in additional division.

  It was probably a priceless treasure. Probably the sort of weapon that would have been sold for gold. But as the Ice Dragon thrashed, fighting the swarm arrow embedded in its body, Kaden knew the truth. The most valuable equipment was the one that let you survive. The white scales on its body bulged as the swarm arrow multiplied, drawing from the dragon’s very essence. It ceased to fly at all, plumeting from the sky.

  At the last moment, Kaden leaped aside, aiming for a bank of snow, which contained only a few rotten logs. He turned on the thrashing dragon, approaching as it weakly shook its head. “That was disapointing. I heard from Lord Suridev that actual dragons can reform any time they want to, so it’s ok. I’m giving you permission. Reform, pick something less fluffy and more dangerous. Good thing you didn’t go after that second-lifer.”

  You have invoked a reformation of the Ice Dragon Kelvin.

  You have gained experience.

  Ice Dragon Kelvin has selected you for Mortal Enemy status.

  As the dragon’s monstrous corpse faded into strands of Ice Mana, a glowing orb remained. A mana core.

  [Pure Mana Core]

  Formed from the heart of a dragon, this mana core does not contain differentiated mana, but the condensed power of a dragon’s heart. This core cannot be equipped in standard equipment. Possessing this core can cause dragons to respond violently.

  Violently was exactly how Kaden wanted the dragon to respond, but he’d never get the same arrogance—or chance—again. Centurions hesitated before challenging dragons in their unbridled form. Kaden sprinted through the domain, heading to his second portal location. The key was leaving a path for the dragon to follow. Because Kaden was damned sure he’d follow.

  He’d almost reached the second point when a notification rang out across the Domain.

  Ice Dragon Kelvin has begun [The Immortal Hunt].

  Targets of the Immortal Hunt have been marked.

  You have been marked. In this domain, your [Stealth] skills will be ineffective.

  Welcome to the Immortal Hunt! In the Immortal Hunt, things that are immortal (not you), hunt things that are mortal (you) to your death or their not-death. No one ever said it was fair, which is good, because it’s not fair. Immortal hunters will see their prey marked, making [Stealth] skills less stealthy. Mortal prey will not be able to recover health during the Immortal Hunt. Damage against Immortal beings is vastly increased.

  Not that it will help.

  Level thirty one had never felt so weak. Most of the time, Kaden looked at anything five levels higher as good experience and anything ten levels higher as dangerous but not impossible. Alone, with no hope of health regeneration, Kaden was forced to make a quick decision.

  Better to escape the domain and find another way to deal with Samuel than die here to soothe a dragon’s ego.

  Across the domain, a roar echoed, a roar that seemed to come from everywhere all at once. He ripped open a portal to the mountainside above the [Lurpion] and stepped through, closing it behind him so there weren’t surprises. Far below, the snow exploded in waves as something churned through it.

  No surprise, it was the Ice Dragon. The surprise was that it had foregone wings, instead choosing a thick, short body with two-segent legs legs and wide claws. The front of the head was blunted and round around a mouth ringed with conical teeth, and a frill of spines jutted out behind the head, then ran down the spine. Instead of white it had taken on a gleaming blue.

  Halfway across the valley, it paused, twisting its body and raising that blunt head to look up the mountainside toward Kaden. Then it gave a echoing roar that made Kaden’s ears pop.

  Only instinct saved him.

  It wasn’t even [Split Second] but fear that made Kaden leap from his perch as the dragon exploded from snow underneath him.

  “That’s not fair! You can teleport across snow? In an Ice domain?” Kaden screamed as he fell—then desperately opened another portal to the ice lake where they’d been attacked. He fell through it, suffering two hundred points of damage and skidding across the ice. But also, out of sight of the dragon.

  Even worse, the domain gates were no longer open—and Kaden had no clue how long it would take for them to return. Again, a roar shook the domain. Again, his ears popped, and despite his normal self-confidence, despite his history, Kaden understood fear.