Chapter 374 Riding the Dragon and a Strange Temple in the Middle of the Dense Forest
Under the bright blue sky, an enormous red dragon soared through the air, flapping its wings with impressive grace. Its massive size, like a mountain, sent a wave of fear through anyone who saw it.
The red horns on its head only enhanced its aura of both majesty and terror. Perched between those horns was a handsome man, his face lit up with an unmistakable expression of joy.
That man was none other than Leon Kruger, our protagonist.
"Damn! This is incredible!" Leon exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
A gust of wind struck his face, causing his long black hair to sway wildly. This was his first time riding a dragon and flying so high.
"How do you feel, Leon? Is it fun?" Athena's soft, caring voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
Leon grinned widely and nodded enthusiastically, his gaze drifting downward.
"This is amazing, Athena. With your speed, our journey to the capital will be much shorter. You're a genius!" Leon praised her without hesitation.
The journey to the Imperial capital usually took a long time. Even with the aid of holy power, it would take at least two to four days. However, Athena had a brilliant idea—she suggested transforming into her dragon form and flying directly to the capital.
At first, Leon was skeptical. He knew well how sacred a dragon's head was.
The head was the ultimate symbol of a dragon's pride—an irreplaceable emblem of honor. A dragon would never bow its head to anyone, let alone allow another being to tread upon it. Even in life-or-death situations, they would rather die than lower their heads, a testament to the sacredness of their pride.
Thus, Leon firmly rejected Athena's proposal. However, Athena remained persistent, assuring him that as long as it was him, she had no issue with it.
Her determination and unwavering resolve touched Leon deeply, only strengthening his affection for Athena.
"Of course, we'll be faster. You don't have to worry about us being late to the capital," Athena said softly, though her tone carried a subtle hint of arrogance.
Leon smiled and nodded slightly. Then, his gaze drifted toward the horizon, where a range of towering mountains stood, their peaks lined up in a breathtaking formation.
At the base of the mountains, a dense forest stretched out, its tall trees adding to the beauty of the scene.
Since the path Athena took wasn't the main route to the capital, the scenery below was entirely new to Leon, deepening his sense of awe.
"No wonder so many protagonists in fantasy novels are desperate to ride dragons. This kind of experience is something few could ever have," Leon whispered, nodding in appreciation.
Although he had ridden a dragon last night, this direct flight felt entirely different, and the excitement was beyond words.
He was certain that, in this era, he was probably the only one who had ridden a dragon like this.
Lost in thought, Athena's voice suddenly returned to his mind. "By the way, can you tell me what plans you've made to overthrow Velix's rule, Leon?"
Leon blinked and paused, thinking for a moment. Athena had asked him the same question before, but he had refused to answer, lacking trust in her and fearing she might interfere with his plans.
But now, things had changed. Athena had fully become his woman, and there was nothing left to hide.
Taking a slow breath, Leon smiled again and replied, "Actually..."
He then laid out his entire plan, from cooperating with Luna and Albert to drawing in powerful figures from various positions to stage a rebellion, along with all the other details. The nobles who had lost their power and authority were also key to his strategy.
They were the ones who hated Velix the most, and Leon couldn't afford to waste the opportunity to use them as free labor—chaos they could create would surely give Velix a major headache.
As Athena listened to the explanation, she clearly struggled to conceal her shock.
"What a ruthless, well-planned strategy. Velix is going to be in real trouble this time," Athena remarked, impressed by his approach. "Was it all your idea?"
Leon folded his arms and shook his head slightly. "Not entirely. Luna and Albert contributed many of the ideas. Afterward, we discussed everything to weigh the pros and cons."
Athena nodded slightly, her admiration for Leon still evident.
"By the way, is it okay to involve the nobles?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
Understanding the concern behind her words, Leon shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "Don't worry. It'll be fine. After all, they'll be eliminated once we overthrow Velix's rule."
His golden eyes, once gentle, gradually turned cold and aloof. While Velix's actions to strip the nobles of their power seemed extremely cruel, Leon understood the reasoning behind them all too well.
Before Velix ascended the throne, the nobles held immense power within the government, controlling key institutions such as the military and the law. Their power was evident in how frequently they opposed the decisions of the Holy Emperors in the past.
If Leon were in Velix's position, he would have made the same decisions—perhaps even more ruthlessly.
"I see," Athena murmured with a slight nod. "If you need my help, don't hesitate to ask. I can send many troops from the Dragon Empire to assist you."
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Leon's heart warmed at her words. Slowly, he sat up and gently stroked Athena's head.
"Thank you, Athena. But I'll try not to trouble you," Leon replied with resolve.
At the touch, Athena felt a surge of happiness, offering a small nod without saying another word. She then flapped her wings and accelerated her flight.
The sun shone brighter with each passing moment, its scorching heat causing a strong sense of dehydration in every living being. Fortunately, Leon was unaffected by the heat, thanks to the protective magic shielding the Athenian dragon's entire body.
Two hours passed unnoticed, and in that time, they had covered over a thousand kilometers from the city of Rothinia. Sitting atop Athena's head, Leon folded his arms across his chest and let out a soft sigh.
"Riding a dragon is incredibly fast and efficient. If I had known earlier, I would have hunted one down to be my personal mount. That way, I could travel anywhere without exerting any energy," Leon murmured with a hint of regret.
Of course, that was just a dream. Taming a dragon was impossible. No matter how hard he tried, they would choose death rather than becoming a mount.
Thus, being able to ride in Athena's dragon form was both a blessing and an incredibly rare opportunity.
As Leon enjoyed the soothing, strong gusts of wind, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a black dot in the distance.
"Hmm? What's that?" Leon's brows furrowed slightly as he narrowed his eyes cautiously.
The black dot seemed faint, likely due to the distance. However, as Athena flew closer, its shape began to take form—a large temple.
"A temple?" Leon murmured in mild surprise, his gaze sharpening as he studied it more closely.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
The temple towered high, its spires even surpassing the dense trees that surrounded it.
Yet, the trees seemed to act as a natural veil, concealing the temple from view. Had it not been for Athena's high altitude, Leon probably wouldn't have noticed it at all.
"How strange. How can there be a temple in the middle of such a dense forest?" Leon inquired, his voice tinged with suspicion.
This forest was so remote and desolate—home only to a few monsters and beasts—that it seemed impossible for any humans or demons to reside here. He briefly considered the possibility of the hidden races but quickly dismissed the thought.
The construction of the temple clearly had human-made characteristics. Moreover, if it had been built by one of the hidden races, the forest would likely be part of their territory.
However, Miranda, who usually appeared to inform him in such situations, was nowhere to be found. This confirmed that they weren't inside the hidden race's domain.
Leon gently stroked Athena's head and said, "Athena, did you see the temple?"
"I did, Leon," Athena replied casually. "Would you like us to stop there?"
Noticing Athena's understanding, Leon smiled and nodded slightly. "Yes, I'd like to visit. That temple seems very mysterious, and there's bound to be something intriguing inside."
In the fantasy novels he'd read, such temples were often either ancient relics or places where evil people gathered.
Based on his gut feeling, Leon suspected that this temple was more likely the latter—a headquarters for the evil people—so he decided to investigate further.
"Alright," Athena said simply, without hesitation, and landed a few kilometers away from the temple.
Due to her immense size, Athena's landing shattered the surrounding trees, leaving a bare, treeless area several hundred meters wide.
Leon quickly jumped off her head and hovered briefly before slowly stepping onto the ground.
*Whoosh!*
Moments later, Athena's dragon form radiated a brilliant red light as her massive body gradually shrank, transforming back into her beautiful, charming figure.
With a casual smile, she appeared beside Leon and tightly wrapped her arm around his.
"Are you sure you want to check out the temple?" Athena inquired softly, resting her head against his arm.
Leon felt the gentle press of her huge breasts against him, and his body reacted instinctively.
"Ahem!" Leon cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment, then replied calmly, "Yes, I want to check it out."
"Then let's go." Athena smiled playfully, raising her left hand.
*Buzz!*
In an instant, their bodies shimmered with bright red light, and soon after, they vanished from the spot.
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