Chapter 331: Now and the Future

Quickly, after receiving Muria's summons, Renata arrived at the obsidian palace built amidst the volcanic lava, escorted by Fiona from the Red Dragon Outlet.

"Renata, you are about to make a choice that will affect the rest of your life," Bronya said seriously, looking at Renata. "You can stay in the Zaychek Great Forest and rule over all the monster tribes in my place, or you can choose to leave with Muria."

"I..." Before Renata could even think to answer, she began to speak.

"Don't rush to answer, let me finish speaking first," Bronya quickly interrupted as Renata had barely started to speak.

"Renata, you possess exceptional command and management talents. You can only fully realize these talents here with me. Of course, you probably won't listen to me."

Seeing the expression on Renata's face, Bronya smiled; she understood this feeling, having once felt the same when she followed Yarilis.

"Leaving with Muria is not the best option for you. In the world of Erathia, spell-casting dragons of the five colors are rare and very unusual.

However, dragons are not uncommon around Muria. You won't stand out, and while Muria might pamper you, he won't value you greatly. Therefore, you need something that will make Muria value you.

And I have just the thing to make Muria hold you in high regard. Stay here, become my monster commander, train and integrate all the monsters under my command, and form a powerful army capable of conquering nations.

When Muria sets out on his epic journey, you can lead this formidable army that he cannot refuse, follow him into the endless void, and become an important figure he cannot overlook."

"Cough, Bronya." Standing to the side, Muria coughed dryly, the ancient red dragon persuading Renata without avoiding him at all.

It was apparent that the issue of his grandmother refusing to let him follow her into the endless void had left a deep scar and fixation, resulting in significant regret.

She handed all her authority to Renata because she saw her younger self in Renata.

She recognized Renata's fatal flaw; they were both ordinary red dragons, which, while top-tier for mortals, were far too weak for someone like Muria.

After reaching the legendary level, they simply couldn't keep up with Muria's pace. If Renata insisted on following Muria to fight in the void, she would only end up as cannon fodder, not very useful.

But with a sufficiently elite army, the situation would be different.

The ancient red dragon ignored Muria, her burning dragon eyes fixed on Renata, "Renata, tell me your choice. Do you want to follow Muria now, or give up the present for the possibility of a long future with him?"

"I respect all your choices," Muria said, looking at Renata, who was beginning to hesitate. "But I must say, no matter what, I will never abandon you."

"I'm willing to follow you forever, Muria," Renata said, looking at the young man with black hair and golden eyes in front of her. "But right now, I want to stay, so I can better follow you in the future."

Hearing Renata's decision, Muria felt a complex mix of guilt, relief, joy, and melancholy.

Frankly, when Bronya was persuading Renata, Muria was deeply moved, and for a moment, he too thought about asking Renata to stay, but he didn't voice it, respecting her choice as he had promised.

"Very well," Bronya said, a look of satisfaction in her eyes. "From today, you are the ruler of Zaychek. All the monsters living there will obey your command, and anyone who dares defy you can be dealt with by you. If you can't handle it, come to me."

"Thank you, Lord Bronya," Renata said, red-haired and with crimson eyes, placing one hand on her chest and bowing slightly in gratitude. "I will not let you down."

"Renata, take these," Muria said, handing over three elemental hearts from the elder fire elementals to the young female dragon. "Swallow them, they'll help you rapidly increase your strength."

"Muria, keep them for yourself; I..."

"Don't be polite with him, Renata. If I'm not mistaken, Muria has already consumed the heart of an elemental lord," Bronya said, her dragon eye glancing sideways at Muria, an ancient dragon with a broad knowledge base.

"Keep them," Muria said, lifting his hand as three soccer ball-sized elder-level elemental hearts flew up and landed in Renata's arms. "I've already processed these three fire elemental hearts; you can swallow them directly now."

Hearing Muria's words, Renata no longer hesitated, securing the three soul-level elemental hearts before preparing to swallow them later, as she wasn't in the best state currently.

"Muria, I want one too," Auston said, immediately envious as he saw Muria giving three elemental hearts to Renata, rushing up to Muria with covetous eyes.

"Go away," Muria said, looking disdainfully at Auston, who had thrown himself in front of him, and slapped him on the head with his hand. Auston's thirty-meter-long dragon body immediately lay flat on the ground.

"Ao," Auston howled in pain, shook his head, and stood up as if nothing had happened. "Muria, you gave three to Renata; I'm not asking for much, just give me one."

Auston was always well aware of his standing in Muria's eyes.

"There are none left. These were the only three of this level of fire elemental heart I had," Muria didn't deceive Auston.

"Oh, my dear sister, could you spare one for your poor brother?" Unable to get anything from Muria, Auston immediately turned his attention to his sister.

But Renata hardly bothered with her brother, her gaze reluctantly fixed on Muria.

"Are you leaving now?"

"Yes, I've already delayed too much," Muria had been waiting here for nearly three months.

During this time, influenced by the three legendary elemental lord-level hearts, he was listless every day, fighting the will-eroding sleepiness.

Although this state was extremely uncomfortable, Muria absorbed the elemental hearts very efficiently while awake, his strength continuously growing to the peak of the second-tier soul realm, with the Ring of Soul expanding to forty-eight segments.

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