Chapter 202: Wagner
Mantou, learning from his previous mistakes, quietly retreated, whispering,
"What do we do now?"
Singo stroked his chin, analyzing the situation.
"It looks like this white dragon has been restrained by Wagner, used as a test subject. Those monsters we saw earlier probably originated from its bloodline. They might even be its offspring."
Born Battle Maniac pointed at the transparent containers connected by hundreds of tubes, saying,
"That must be dragon's true blood."
For native dragons, only their true blood could create dragon-blooded creatures. It was a precious essence formed by condensing all their magical energy and transporting it through their unique vascular system.
But Wagner had greedily inserted nearly a hundred tubes into these vital blood vessels, mercilessly draining the white dragon's true blood.
Singo stared intently at the slumbering white dragon before a grin spread across his face. Turning to Mantou, he said,
"Mantou, how about ruining that bastard's century-old treasure and maybe even freeing this dragon? Let's give this daughter-experimenting psycho a taste of his own chaos."
Mantou was already eager, his eyes lighting up.
"Of course!"
"Take these!"
Singo pulled several round metal spheres from his bag and handed them to Mantou. Then, he turned to Born Battle Maniac.
"Battle Maniac, smash that blood tank!"
"On it!"
Born Battle Maniac swung his battle axe with all his might toward the transparent container.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Though the container was reinforced with magical runes and far tougher than ordinary glass, the barbarian's relentless strikes caused white specks to form, then spiderweb cracks, until the entire surface finally shattered. Dragon's true blood, rich with magical energy, gushed out in torrents.
Singo quickly stepped forward, filling several prepared bottles with the precious dragon's blood before letting the rest spill onto the ground.
Meanwhile, Born Battle Maniac continued smashing the eerie laboratory instruments, reducing Wagner's meticulously crafted equipment to rubble through sheer force.
The commotion finally stirred the slumbering white dragon.
It opened its eyes, struggling to rise. The magical chains binding its body rattled violently, and the tubes embedded in its flesh swayed along with it. The magic circle beneath it emitted intense light, restraining the dragon and forcing it to collapse back onto the ground.
"Roar!"
The white dragon let out a furious growl, its rage contained only by its bindings.
Mantou, startled by the icy glare in its eyes, instinctively raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, stammering,
"Don't eat me, dragon bro—uh, sis."
"I'm part dragon too! I just wanted to smash some stuff to mess with that creep. We're on the same side, really!"
"Roar!"
The white dragon did not respond, instead unleashing a deafening roar. Its massive body writhed once more, scales bristling with anger.
But its gaze wasn't directed at the players; it was fixated on something behind them—a sinister altar adorned with a dragon's head carving.
Singo realized the roar wasn't aimed at them but at something lurking behind.
He quickly ushered the group to hide and peeked cautiously.
Ripples began to form in the air, followed by the emergence of a jagged spatial tear.
A man stepped out of the void.
Dressed in a black cloak, his face obscured by mist, he wore a rusty badge on his chest emblazoned with an eye atop a flaming dragon claw.
The man—Wagner—chuckled sinisterly.
"Ah, I'm back."
"Long time no see, my dear 'Sleeping Beauty.'"
"Roar!"
Fury burned in the white dragon's slitted pupils. If looks could kill, Wagner would have been devoured on the spot.
The dragon growled hoarsely, its massive body writhing violently, bashing against its restraints without care for the deep wounds being carved into its flesh.
Wagner, unfazed, spoke in a mockingly affectionate tone,
"Oh dear, you're still so temperamental after all these years."
With a cold laugh, he raised his hand slightly.
The [Wagner's Dragon Binding Array] beneath the dragon flared with dazzling light, summoning countless new chains from the ground. These serpentine restraints coiled tightly around the dragon's battered body, compressing it like a predator crushing its prey.
The dragon's scales cracked under the pressure, and its bones groaned audibly.
"Roar!"
Its head slumped to the ground, emitting a mournful cry.
Wagner approached unhurriedly, gently stroking the sharp beak-like snout of the white dragon.
"Tinia, my most precious specimen, are you finally willing to submit?"
Suddenly, the dragon lunged forward with all its strength, stretching its neck to snap its jaws shut on the cloaked man.
"Roar!"
Its ferocious bite came up empty, the only remnant in its maw being a swirl of mist.
Wagner reappeared dozens of meters away.
He burst into maniacal laughter, clapping his hands as his body trembled with excitement.
"Hahaha!"
"That's it! That's the spirit I adore! I love watching you struggle—it's utterly beautiful! It reminds me of over a century ago when that red dragon devoured Catherine. That image is seared into my mind. No artwork could ever compare."
"Come on! Tear me apart! Devour me alive!"
"I'd celebrate such an end!"
Wagner spread his arms wide, like a fanatical pilgrim before a god, while the white dragon thrashed against the array, its eyes burning with hatred.
The scene was grotesquely surreal.
Mantou, hiding in the shadows, shivered and muttered to himself,
"This guy is a certified lunatic."
Then, as if sensing something, Wagner paused mid-sentence.
"But before I enjoy our time together, I must deal with some pesky little rats first."
"Naughty creatures, making a mess of my home."
His tone carried a hint of gritted teeth.