Ash screamed as the dragon smashed him to the ground using it's head.

Ash's sword attack lacerated the left eyeball of the dragon, but was not enough to penetrate or blind it. 

Aaaargh the dragon screamed in rage

It smashed it's head to the ground again, pinning Ash to the ground with it's claws, holding him in place as it rained dragon fire onto his prone body. 

Insolent human the dragon roared 

His body was turned into cinders as the dragon smashed the black charcoal that was his body into pieces with its claws. 

Ash's ashes scattered into the air as the dragon fired his dragon fire at the area again, just to be sure.

How dare an insect try to harm me? the dragon said angrily, finally satisfied with killing the human. 

It took to the air, looking for it's prey, the giant eagle, and chased after it but it was already far far away beyond its ability to catch it in time. 

Furthermore, Arista was accelerating the eagle's speed with her elemental wind abilities, to get help as fast as possible. 

The dragon grunted as it's prey escaped and finally turned around heading back to its nest.

Hmmm? What is this?

The dragon swooped down to the site where it incinerated Ash

--

Ash screamed as the dragon chewed his body in its jaws, crushing his bones and rendering his flesh

After a while, the dragon spit him out, allowing him to regenerate, before chomping down on him when he recovered again

The dragon treated him like a piece of renewable chewing gum, slurping down his blood, eating his flesh and enjoying his juices every few hours, enjoying his taste.

For Ash, it was endless torture, suffering and dying over and over again, making him wish for a permanent end

With the blessing/curse of Sloth, he couldn't feel any pain, but he screamed anyway from the horror of the situation. For the matter, he didn't feel anything during sex either, but the situation with Arista or the situation with the white haired poison lady was mentally arousing, and his cock responded by itself.

The way the curse seemed to work is that while Ash himself felt nothing, the entity of Sloth received all the sensations of touch from his skin, and his body responded appropriately. 

Useless as ever

Plaything for a dragon. Pathetic. Wait till it swallows you.

I wonder if you'll come out as shit?

Beautiful yet eerie female voices taunted him

Ash couldn't respond as his body was regenerating itself again, still unable to talk

Do you need more power?

What are you willing to give up?

Do you want my power, the power of Sloth/Lust/Glutony/Greed/Envy/Pride/Wrath? they asked in unison

Ash could barely groan as his mangled, grotesque flesh trembled. He could not see, hear nor anything else. But somehow he could feel their voices in his consciousness

 I am Lust, I want your sexual pleasure the one which looked like a succubus said

I am Gluttony, I want your sense of taste the one which looked like a vampire said

I am wrath, I want your emotions the one that looked like a werewolf said

I am Pride, I want your face the one that looked like a gorgon said

I am Envy, I want your voice the one that looked like a siren said

I am Greed, I want your color the one that looked like a banshee said

As his eyesight returned, he saw the shadow of the dragon approaching again. 

"My taste! Take my taste!" Ash yelled in his mind

Choosing me is an excellent choice the beautiful vsmpire said as she enbraced him and disappeared into his body

The dragon looked at Ash's nearly completed body and bent over to chomp down on his new favorite snack

However, as it bit down, it tasted nothing as there was nothing there!

Ash had turned into mist and moved away from the dragon, hiding himself into a corner of the large cave that was the dragon's lair where it couldn't reach.

With the regenerative abilities of a vampire on top of that of a zombie, Ash healed at double his usual recovery rate, healing nearly completely as he caught his breath. 

Not wanting to hang around even though the cave was full of treasure, Ash fled the cave in mist form. 

As he solidified his naked body outside the cave, he immediately flew into the sky, pleased that he received the ability to fly. 

As he flew away at the fastest speed he could muster, her heard the roar of the angry dragon firing its flame breath into the sky in anger

As it was late at night, only the large two moons illuminated the night, but Ash decided to duck into the forest below to prevent the dragon from finding him. 

--

3 days later, Ash arrived at the city gates of Rosengard, riding a caravan that he hitched a ride on. 

He was wearing the fur of several animals that he hunted and ate. 

He had stumbled upon the caravan being attacked by kobolds, so he jumped into the fray, helping them fight off the dog headed creatures, and getting a free ride from the caravans. 

After saying his farewells and thanks to the caravaners, he was pointed at the direction of the Royal Academy. 

It could not be missed as the large campus was built on one of the 5 major hills within the city. 

Among the other 5 hills, the central hill housed the palace of the Emperor of Rosengard, his Majesty Maximillion Galatar of the Galatar family.

Another one housed the 5 wizard towers. Another the powerful Mercenary Guild. 

The last hill was still a pristine forest, surrounded by the city around it. It was the only hill not occupied and was used as a natural park within the city 

Ash eagerly walked towards the Royal Academy and approached the gates. 

"Halt. State your business" a guard that looked like a magical knight said

"I am here to enroll in the Royal Academy" Ash answered

"The entrance exam closed a few days ago. Try again next year" the guard smirked

"No.. I was on time, but I was delayed by a dragon" Ash tried to explain

"Oh? And you finally defeated the dragon and came here?" the guard mocked

"No. I escaped after several days, before arriving here just a few minutes ago" Ash explained

"Well, dragon or not, you are too late. Try again next year" the guard responded

"No! You... call Arista... Princess Arista, the princess of the Elves. She was with me during the dragon attack" Ash said

"YOU know Princess Arista? Don't make me laugh. Now stop wasting my time and go away" the guard said

You should kill him

You should suck his blood dry

The voices of Sloth and Gluttony yelled in his head. 

Ash shook his head and turned around to walk away, feeling dejected

"Ash? Ash!" a beautiful female voice called for him from inside the gates.

"P...princess?" the guard stammered as a beautiful elf rushed past him through the gate

As Ash turned around, the beautiful body of Princess Arista floated in the air gracefully before landing in his arms. 

Yes. He has finally arrived at the Royal Academy.