Chapter 619

A/N : Small changes made to Aurexion's Stat page, Skills flight (common) , hardened scales (Uncommon) as well as mana manipulation and draconic roar (Rare) have been added. Post is also locked for the proper tier(oops on my end there, thanks for letting me know!). dragon breath skill suggested was considered but that would be a higher rarity and would take more dedicated magic training to unlock so he doesn't have it yet.

Looking at the glowing runes Ajax knew he had to make some choices, but all of that could wait. The intensity of the glowing runes wasn’t strong enough to mean he had to drop everything and rush back just that he needed to start moving back towards Gryndor. Before any of that he had a conversation to finish with a dragon. 

“Seems like I am also being asked to return.” Ajax said as he looked at the glowing runes. “Good thing I was already planning on that in order to heal up my arm.” 

“Healing a missing limb is a lot less important than a Death affinity gem.” Khalysstra hissed, still unable to believe Ajax was offering her son the priceless treasure. For a moment she had even considered taking it by force regardless of the bond between Aurexion and Ajax when she saw her son showing an inclination for Death Mana affinity. “What I’ve given you doesn’t make up for something like this.” 

“That might be true.” Ajax nodded, drawing a curious look from Aurexion. “But you had no idea I could get something like this in the first place. You helped me with a goal in mind but getting something like this from me wasn’t it. I am not giving you this with a specific goal but a good relationship between us will most likely work out a lot in my favor down the line.” 

“Not to mention take the target off your back if you no longer hold the gem.” Ruinflare muttered, looking longingly towards the gem as well.

Ajax had already gotten as much direct help as he needed from the Ascended races, now with an Ascended bond of his own, even one that was on the young and inexperienced side, he would also have access to a lot more knowledge that humanoids have lost due to their isolation. 

“I do have to ask, what would be the reaction if humanoids were to stand expanding?” Ajax asked. “At a much quicker rate than before.”

“Something has changed to make the move?” Ruinflare asked. “Are they looking to get something specific?” 

“No, it's more of a necessity.” Ajax explained. “The spread of a new… practice when growing up will lead to kids having around seventy to ninety extra stats depending on dedication. A lot of those stats are up to them to spend as they choose.” 

“Less than four levels of raw stats is not all that much.” Aurexion pointed out. 

“Not to you.” Ajax nodded. “Not to me, and not to anyone even being considered among the truly strong. The big changes come from how widespread this is and when it is given. Humanoids usually have one hundred and sixty total stats at the age of ten when our Child Trait ends.” 

“The masses will prolong their life.” Khalysstra made the connection instantly. “You already breed so quickly that if it wasn’t for your constant infighting you would overpopulate your lands in two to three millennia. With this massive change until your society adapts you will see a massive population boom. Perhaps the war I saw brewing in your lands might not be a bad thing for you in the long term.” 

Much as he did not like it Ajax had to admit Khalysstra did have a point. A war would cull the population number, more than that the survivors would be of a higher level than usual depending on how bloody it got. This would all make it easier for the nobles to push through a societal shift to better accommodate the increased lifespans.

“Do you know the situation regarding the Ascended surrounding the humanoid lands?” Ajax asked, wanting to at least get an idea of what the expansion might lead to. 

Right now humanoids were in no shape to go up against any Ascended race in the slightest but that might not be the case a few centuries down the line once the new generation of promising talents really grew, two things could end the resurgence of humanoids quickly. The first was attacking an Ascended race and getting wiped out. And the second was a dungeon break from those at the top pushing further than has been done in history, Ajax very much expected that the level two hundred and fifty jump in power similar to the level one hundred jump would lead to some ugly dungeon breaks. 

“No Ascended creatures live anywhere close to humanoid lands.” Aurexion assured him. “You have so many dungeons clustered there the Mana will be too sparse. That is an issue we will have to tackle since I am to live there as well.” 

Ajax wasn’t too worried about that, he might have to do some extra delves to grab some extra Mana dense resources from the dungeon to make Aurexions’ living area more comfortable but it shouldn’t be too bad. And he could do all that while he was doing his reclear of dungeons he had been through before and ones he hadn’t yet gone to in the dwarven lands. All of that would come after the war however.

For the next hour Ajax took the opportunity to get to know Aurexion better, he had started to notice that while Aurexion’s natural personality was prideful much like Khalysstra also was he didn’t have the same patience that was expected of such a long lived being. Something that he attributed to the issues he supposed he was facing from his extended hibernation. 

“One thing to note as you go back. Any other humanoids that venture out of your lands will likely be approached by Ascended races if they start to stray a good distance.” Ruinflare pointed out. “Word of your existence, an Ascended human, will be spreading with the sidhe noticing what took place here that you have bonded a dragon will also spread.”

“This will draw attention to your people.” Khalysstra agreed with Ruinflare. “This attention could be purely curiosity, cooperative or malicious depending on the Ascended race your people encounter. You might want to warn your friends and allies to be careful heading out.” 

“Come now Ajax.” Ajax took note that Aurexion used his name, he mentioned before their duel that he would get him to acknowledge his name and was happy he had done so even in defeat. “I believe it's time to head towards humanoid lands and get your arm fixed.” 

“You would be okay with me riding you?” Ajax was very much surprised, everything from Earth about dragons suggested that letting someone ride them would be very contentious. Their attitudes so far here had confirmed that would most likely be the case.

“You and I are bonded.” Aurexion said. “I am not sure what bonds are like for you humanoids but we didn’t make a Master/Servent Bond, we made a bond as equals, you are an extension of me just as I am an extension of you. I will not be letting others ride me, if we need to take them somewhere I can grab them in my claws.” 

After saying his goodbyes and thanking Ruinflare and Khalysstra for the help Ajax climbed carefully on Aurexions neck where the head would keep him protected from the wind as they flew and the dragon took off towards humanoid lands.

From the moment they took off Ajax could feel the exertion as well as the impatience Aurexion was feeling through their bond. Aurexion was flying a lot faster than Ajax expected, in fact he was pretty sure the dragon couldn’t keep up this pace for too long.

“We’re in no rush to get there.” Ajax tried to reassure his bond, worried that the dragon interpreted his slight spike of fear when talking about the war, he wasn’t sure how his family and House were adapting to everything, and was making him push himself. “Even if we were, it would be a marathon not a sprint.” 

“The sidhe were skulking around and my aunt will be dealing with them now.” Aurexion answered. “I am putting some distance between us and them before we have the talk we need to.” 

“She’ll kill them?” Ajax was worried that Verya wouldn’t deserve that, while she wasn’t a friend they had worked together a little and she had helped him. 

“No, just ensure that the version of events she wants to get out will.” Aurexion assured him. 

“And what do we need to talk about that we couldn’t do back there?” Ajax asked. 

“Your anomalous Status Sheet.” Ajax instinctively straightened up at that. “The potential you have ,human, with so many Skills gained at such a young age, it would have pained me to say it before but it eclipses even my own. A good thing we are now bound together.” 

Ajax was worried for a second that Aurexion might have known about his Divine Witness Trait but that didn’t seem to be the case. From the way the description read as Ajax rechecked it it would seem the only way that information could be shared would be by him choosing to do so.

“I worked hard for that.” Ajax said with pride about his hard work and the dangers he had survived. 

“I can see that, and I can tell I was rash in my judgement of you earlier.” Aurexion admitted. “Our bond has also helped me gain my first Epic Skill. But you lack the knowledge to see just how far you’ve come.” 

“How so?” Ajax asked curious what he missed in his own Status Sheet. 

“You have everything you need to create a Pseudo Mythic Skill.” Aurexion’s words caused Ajax eyes to widen as a grin spread across his face.