Chapter 549: The Dragon Was Captured!

Ansol frowned and, after a moment of contemplation, spoke up, "When I asked you to choose a companion for Muria, I didn't limit it to any specific race. Yet, all the partners you selected are dragons."

"It's rare to see my husband being so scheming," the Golden Dragoness sneered. "You had someone in mind from the start, didn't you? That female Titan named Hiloys. You were just waiting for me to pick her so you could approve."

Ansol, the Legendary Titan, remained silent.

"As far as I know, this girl named Hiloys was raised and taught by you. You've guided her more than your own son. And the legendary metal she used to forge her exclusive weapon was a reward for a task you assigned her—a task that was incredibly simple, if I recall correctly. You had her teach young Muria some martial skills, didn't you? Ansol, I never realized you could be so calculating, planting the seeds from such an early age."

"You're overthinking it," Ansol immediately denied. "Hiloys' father was a close friend, and when he had an accident, he couldn't care for her. I couldn't abandon my friend's daughter. Of course, Hiloys is an excellent Titan, and if she were to be with Muria…"

"All your efforts to foster a relationship between Muria and Hiloys were in vain. Neither of them showed any interest. Instead, due to an incident involving a legendary Serpent Demon, young Muria fell for that Celestial, Mikaela."

"Think what you want. Muria's companion must be a Titan," Ansol declared firmly.

"That's not possible. If so, Muria's daughter would have three-quarters Titan blood, and the dragon bloodline could be completely suppressed. This would end the ancestral Golden Dragon lineage of the Elonsas family. Are you trying to see my clan vanish?" 

Ansol stood his ground, and the Golden Dragoness, Atreus, was equally unyielding. This was about the survival of her lineage.

"You want a dragon with a powerful bloodline to be Muria's partner, while I want Hiloys. Muria, on the other hand, has his eyes set on a Celestial. Our family can't agree on anything."

Ansol didn't argue with Atreus because it was pointless. He was inherently a warrior, and while he worried about his descendants' future, he wouldn't lose his composure over it.

"Muria's choice is impractical," the Golden Dragoness shook her head. She didn't approve of Muria's infatuation with the Celestial either. Besides external influences, the chances of them having offspring were almost nil. Even if they could, what would their child be—a blend of Titan, Dragon, and Celestial? That bloodline mix was too chaotic.

"So, we will decide Muria's partner," Ansol concluded.

"If only Muria could have two partners, a Titan and a dragon," Atreus mused, shaking her head.

"That's impossible," Ansol responded. "Not only do our customs forbid Muria from having two partners, but it's also unfeasible in reality."

"Indeed, it's impossible," Atreus chuckled at her own idea. The female dragons she had considered for Muria were all highly sought after and not one would be willing to share their mate with a Titan. It wasn't a matter of desperation.

"Titan and Dragon cannot coexist; a choice must be made," Ansol stated. He knew Hiloys' character well. She saw him as a father figure and wouldn't object to becoming Muria's partner. However, asking her to share Muria with a dragon was out of the question.

While the Golden Dragoness and Ansol argued, Muria stood in the lower levels of the castle, gazing at the Wind King Eagle's egg with a pensive expression. The news his father brought was sudden and caught him completely off guard.

"Mikaela, have you broken through to the legendary rank yet?" Muria pulled out a battle token forged from Solar Flare Gold, looking at the ancient god script for "battle" inscribed on it with a nostalgic glint in his eyes.

"Once you break through, come find me. We'll fight, and after that, we can confirm our partnership and start a family. That way, no one can stop me," the troubled Titan muttered almost dreamily.

Muria had no intention of adhering to his parents' plans. He wasn't a helpless child anymore; he could survive independently. Simply put, he had grown strong enough to defy them.

"But if they use force, I won't be able to resist," Muria thought back to his father's stern expression. He had no doubt that if he didn't comply, his domineering father would resort to physical force, without any sentimentality.

"With Synaps' current defenses, the two of them together could easily break through," Muria calculated his available forces, wondering if he could say "no" with conviction.

The results were disheartening. Synaps had five legendary forces: himself, Malice the Abyss Demon, Sivanel the Shadow Slayer, Fiona the Ancient Green Dragon, and Seraphina the Pirate Queen. But they were all low-level legends, and even together, Muria doubted they could stand against his father alone.

"A tree dies when it doesn't move; a man thrives on mobility," Muria muttered. If direct confrontation wasn't feasible, he would need another strategy.

"Master, something big has happened." As Muria pondered, a dense cloud of cursed black mist swirled around a black metal-covered book that flew to his side.

"Black, what happened?" Muria asked the Tome of Lamentation, his voice calm and soothing despite the book's panicked aura. He viewed the tome not as a nefarious tool but as a useful ally to check on his subordinates.

"Master, a dragon on one of your subsidiary continents has been captured!" The wraith inside the book, Black, was visibly agitated. It knew its role wasn't to bring curses but to serve as a reassuring assistant—a far cry from its original intentions.

"One of my dragons was captured?" Muria's eyes narrowed, a hint of menace flashing in them. He exuded an aura that made Black even more anxious. "What happened?"

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