Whilst I panicked trying to figure out a way to clear up this mistake, a flash of white appeared. It was immediately recognizable as the blinding light of teleportation. Yet, it lasted far longer than normal, likely indicating we’d travelled a fair distance.

We were inside an underground cave.

Breathing in, the mana in the atmosphere rushed into my body. The feeling was slightly dizzying and the mana in the air felt slightly corrosive on my skin. The destiny of mana on this planet was far greater than anywhere I’d been before.

Inversely, that also made it a breeding ground for corrupt mana. If the normal density of corrupt mana in the atmosphere was one percent, the density of corrupt mana here was twenty percent. Even from simply breathing, I could feel my organs going into overdrive trying to adapt.

Magical ruins lined the floor of the cave. They were similar to normal teleportation runes that I’d seen before, but slightly differing in several key points. Although I didn’t understand how that affected the overall situation.

“You can move freely.” Gromrit stretched out his wings. “With the atmospheric mana density, your growth should increase tenfold.”

I narrowed my eyes stared, and quietly at him.

There’s no way I’d believe he’d suddenly turned kind. I wouldn’t believe it even if you killed me.

Watching quietly as the dragon yawned and moved to a passageway in the cave. Before leaving, Gromrit gestured around the cave. “As far as anyone’s concerned, you’re a basilisk.”

Immediately after he left line of sight, I rushed to check my belongings.

The sudden teleportation meant my bag had been left behind in my room. Anything inside had been left behind.

Fortunately, I kept most artifacts on my body at all times. The only really major loss was my musket. The mana lights would also be missed.

To my relief, the Time Shard was still in my jacket pocket.

Hold it gave a sense of comfort.

Narrowing my eyes again, I thought about Stanley handing it over to me. I had no idea what it did, but honestly… I couldn’t help but wonder if Stanley’s luck had anything to do with the situation I was currently in.

What is the chance that Stanley’s luck is involved? Pretty high, actually. I just didn’t understand how this situation would benefit Stanley in any manner.

Visibly frowning, I looked around the cave. A blue-ish light ran through the veins above, lighting up the cave and showcasing a passage way that led in two direction.

One was the direction that Gromrit traveled. The only simply an empty corridor until reaching a bright light.

What are the chances there’s something dangerous here… I glanced around and nodded to myself.

Extremely high.

… My terrible luck practically demands it.

Whether intentional or not, there was high probability of there being something dangerous in this place. At the dragon’s level of power, something considered safe by him might be extremely dangerous to me… and he never said this place was safe.

I needed to spend a period of time getting acclimated to the surrounding.

Still, Gromrit obviously believes me to a plant-monster.

Why ask that I continue claiming to be a basilisk?

POV Swap – 3^rd Person

Cautiously, Tobias began to  wanderer about the cave. Whilst he didn’t know it, Gromrit had taken him into his personal abode inside dragon territory. To be precise, they were inside a relatively large cave and garden on the dragon’s homeworld.

As for why Tobias was given no restrictions on movement? There was a powerful barrier blocking Gromrit’s personal cave and garden from the rest of the world. Letting him run around changed nothing. It would be near impossible for elder dragons of similar strength to Gromrit to force their way through the barrier. A weakling like Tobias never had a chance of escaping, at least as far as Gromrit was concerned.  

In fact, even if Tobias did escape, waiting for him outside the barrier was the dragon’s homeworld, which obviously contained many hundred of thousands of different dragons. The only way out was teleportation, but Tobias didn't have the mana or coordinates to accomplish that. How there be a chance of getting escape?

Whilst Tobias began his intrepid exploration of a relatively small area, Gromrit had headed back to the council’s cave.

Entering into a massive underground cave with lava dripping from the ceiling. Pools of the lava glowed in a semi-fluorescent light. The lava illuminated dragons of varying sizes.

While the dragons seemed to be resting in random locations about the cave, each spot actually represented a place on the counsel. Gromrit normally rested in his designated place, however there was a medium-sized purple dragon there.

Someone sitting in his spot indicated that he’d already been thrown off it.

Gromrit snorted in anger as he stared at the younger dragon that had taken his space on the counsel. There was no possibility the younger dragon was ignorant to the ramifications of taking his place on the counsel, they had simply accepted the consequence of completely offended him.

There was an eternity to obtain revenge, holding back in situation where he couldn’t completely control the situation was already natural to him.

The other dragon that offended him, the dark-blue dragon Freda, rested lazily in a prominent position of the cave. Ignoring his arrival, along with the rest of the dragons in the area.

Gone for less than three days and already his seat had been taken.

“The task’s finished.” Gromrit abruptly spoke, disregarding the usually rules of the counsel. Usually dragons entering were supposed to summarize the purpose of their report to attract the attention and interest of whoevers paying attention.

Usually the only people who pay attention to such matters is the younger of the elder dragons, as they’re more motivated to solve problems. Even so most reports end up getting ignored, indicating for the reporting dragon to come to a solution themselves.

Times when elder dragons on the counsel actually intervene and make specific decisions are rare. More often they’ll give suggestions and opinions.

Making a decision meant putting your reputation on the line and, if it failed... those making the decision would naturally bear the consequences.

Recommendations and opinions naturally didn’t have to risk those consequences… and the younger dragons had to ‘consider’ your opinion or risk offending you.

“Spit it out, then.” A black dragon insultingly remarked, “Did you deal with them? Don’t beat around the bush.”

Coldly staring at the insulting dragon, Gromrit scoffed. “Basilisk bloodline. If you want to kill them do it yourself.”

He had no intention of telling them the top-tier bloodline was a plant-type bloodline. Any higher level plants were all treasures, regardless of their genetics. The implications of a plant-type top-tier bloodline were too big.

A top-tier plant bloodline could loosen the barrier to breaking through to a higher level. If they knew about its existence, it’s estimated he’d have no chance to get benefits.

Gromrit would rather lie and deal with the consequences later. There would be punishment if discovered later… but, as long as it was discovered after he had a breakthrough in strength, the consequences would be minimal.

Killing a young talented basilisk would certainly offend the entire ethnic group. While it wouldn’t have many effects on the dragon race as a whole, they would certainly kill the person who disposed of him.

Who is generous enough to give up their cushy life for that? Most elder dragons have lived hundreds of millennia. If they didn’t fear death, they wouldn’t still be alive.

“You mean Basilisks have two individuals with top-tier bloodlines?!” The nearby elder dragons were immediately stunned awake by the news.

Each top-tier bloodline was a treasure of the universe. Only born through luck or extremely rare coincidence.

Having two individuals in the same ethnic group awaken top-tier bloodlines was unprecedented in history.

The main and most important issue was, of course, offspring.

A single top-tier bloodline individual could affect the entire species, but it wasn’t because of how powerful they could become. A single individual’s power might only be able to affect the destiny of a few individuals in a species, but it wasn’t necessarily enough to affect the entire species.

Top-tier bloodlines affected the entire ethnic group mainly because of their offspring. The offspring of a top-tier bloodline contained kept a large portion of bloodline’s purity. Even after several generations they can keep a portion of the bloodline’s purity.

Effectively, a single top-tier bloodline individual alone could drastically improve the bloodline and talent of an entire species.

“What gender?” Freda, the dark-azure dragon immediately stood up. Catching onto the heart of the matter.

Nobody knew what would happen if a male and female with the top-tier bloodlines were bred together. Would their children also be a top-tier bloodline? If so, they needed to be killed at all cost. Even if they had to bear the revenge of other races, they couldn’t allow that to happen.

Top-tier bloodlines could grow into a powerhouse simply by living a short ten-thousand years. In comparison, the youngest elder dragon in the counsel room was three millennia old. Most elder dragons had existed for far longer and would be weaker than a top-tier bloodline at their peak.

Simply put, top-tier bloodlines grew too quickly in comparison to other monsters. If they were both members of same species were the same sex, then it didn’t matter.

After all, the difference between having one stallion and two stallions was marginal at best. While it would speed up the growth of the species, the affect would be margin in comparison to the impact a potentially unlimited number of top-tier bloodlines.

“Male.” Gromrit snorted out, dismissing her worries.

The nearby dragons relaxed and returned to resting.

The dark-azure dragon Freda nodded, “Task is complete, then. Send out a warning to the younger ones not to provoke basilisks in the near future.”

Turning around, Gromrit left with a slight sneer on his face.

Without preparation beforehand where would he dare to lie to everyone in the counsel? In fact, Gromrit would’ve killed Tobias instantly had he been female upon hearing his statement of belong to the basilisk race.

Dragons would definitely have been forced to unite and protect him from revenge. When considering threats to the survival and dominance of their species as a whole, nothing else matters.

As far as Gromrit was concerned, Tobias’ statement about being a basilisk was a clever lie. The plant-monster probably heard a limited knowledge about the global situation and thought it would intimidate him out of acting.

Truthfully before knowing his race, Gromrit wouldn’t have dared to have killed him.

The most terrifying enemy isn’t the one that shouting at you in anger, nor is it an enemy in the dark. It’s the friend that backstabs you for a deed you’ve long since forgotten about.

If Gromrit had killed a top-tier bloodline without knowing their race, even who to defend himself against wouldn’t be known.

Where could he do that?

After twenty millennia of life, the various betrayals and viciousness of people could clearly be understood in his mind. Too many times in history, death comes from the place least expected place.

If the method of death was expected, people could have taken precautions against it. Any precautions significantly lower the chance of death.

Of course, not daring to kill the plant because he didn’t know its race didn’t mean Gromrit would’ve let it go. Torture is extremely effective in getting answers in situations where the result can be easily proven.

Regardless, the idea of killing Tobias had completely disappeared from his mind as had the idea of torture. While he had still considered it before teleporting. After lying to the counsel, all those thoughts had disappeared.

A top-tier plant bloodline was basically unheard of, in terms of value it’s far higher than other top-tier bloodlines.

Fortunately, this one was still a baby. It definitely hasn’t been born long, otherwise it wouldn't be so weak.

In a short ten thousand years, Gromrit didn’t believe he was unable to befriend the baby plant and convince it to help him out. While it might’ve a bad first impression, it can be fixed in time.