More of a monster!

Hearing her words Alan furrowed his brow in contemplation, as his spirit sword Akane was his greatest weapon and partner, she was someone he relied on a lot. 

If her strength fell and declined it would also impact his own strength in many ways.

"... I see. We still have some time left before we returned to the place where we belong, let's not rush things, I'm certain your strength should return before we leave this place." He said in a calm tone.

"You... You're really planning on leaving this place?" Akane's ocean blue eyes gazed deeply at Alan as she asked. "Of course, do you really think I would stay here forever?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow. Akane gaze deeply at Alan's face for a while before she sighed.

Over the past year, she had been by his side silently watching over him. During those times she had seen him wore many different expressions he usually would never make. 

After witnessing his gentle side, she would normally never see from the usual cold and indifferent Ellard, Akane subconsciously hoped that he would remain here surrounded by those who he loved, and naturally those who loved him in return.

In his previous life he had lost his parents who were his only family from a young age. Since then, he was like a machine, his only goal was serving the goddess. Udea who saved his life inside that burning house.

Akane had hoped he could enjoy the family he had not been able to have and experienced true happiness, something he couldn't do in his previous life which was only filled with both wars and sorrow.

Alan frowned when he felt the sadness inside her gaze. "Is there something wrong?" He inquired, tilting his head.

"Eh? Oh." Akane snapped out of her reverie and, while playing with a strand of her long snow-white hair she said with some reluctant.

"Well... Even if it's through reincarnation, these people are still your family, and that woman really loves you, don't you think it would break her heart if she lost her son?" Akane's voice was filled with concern, even though it didn't really matter to her what happens in the end the reason she asked was out of concern for Alan, not herself.

"..." Alan remained silent with a serious expression, "You are right they are the beloved family of my current self. Yes, their existence is very important to me... Which is why I will not allow anything to happen to them." He replied.

Although his mentality was that of Ellard, he couldn't deny the part of himself that was also Alan as well. Doing so would be him denying a part of himself which was something he really did not want to do.

With his emerald, green eyes shining with determination he proclaims, "Once we leave, I will visit them occasionally, while also protecting them all from the shadows. Especially mom, I definitely will not allow anything to happen to her. I also will not allow her to be lonely either. Trisa and Suzu are also here to take care of her in my absence."

"I see... Well then I guess my worries were mostly unneeded then." Akane said with a small shrug of her slender shoulders.

"However, since we have enough time, I suggest visiting the dungeon in the future."

"Eh, you mean the forbidden dungeon? Weren't we not supposed to go there?"

"Heh. Of course, but that was a long time ago, I have a feeling if we visit that dungeon, we could find something amazing." Her soft pink lips curved upwards as she said that.

However, Alan looked at her with a somewhat skeptical gaze before ultimately nodding his head.

It was pointless to ponder about it now, he knew Akane wouldn't suggest doing something that could potentially endanger his life, quite the contrary, she would only bring it up to help him instead.

"Okay, I understand. Then we will pay a visit to that place in the near future." He responded. In his first life as Ellard the dungeon was a forbidden grounds he didn't dare to enter after receiving the warning of the goddess.

However, somehow, he always felt a strange attraction to that place as though he was drawn there but his strong will suppressed that urge as he decided to never step foot in that place.

'I shouldn't have had any connection with that place... And yet I can't but feel like I was always supposed to go there. No that can't be.' So, he keeps telling himself. 

After taking several deep breaths to calm the beating of his heart Alan allowed himself to fall back on his bed as he laid against the soft sheets of the cushion.

His slightly long silver hair scattered messily against the bed as he closed his eyes returning once again to the world of dreams.

Akane gaze at him for some time before she turned back into her spirit form and retreated back inside his soul.

...

Drip, drip, drop...

Blood rained down from the sky in a natural way painting the land and staining the earth.

On a battlefield covered with the scent of blood, many bodies of the deceased laid there with blood spears stabbed into their bodies.

Standing on the battlefield was a handsome man with long waist length silky black hair stood with indifferent eyes as he gazed at his enemy.

A woman with long green hair that cascaded to her slender waist surrounded by a magic barrier which shielded her from the blood rain stood before him. 

Her emerald eyes shone faintly as she clenched her fist which held her magic scepter. 

"How long will you continue to deceive yourself, Ellard? You always act so self-righteous and yet it turns out you're an even bigger monster than the rest of them." The green-haired woman said not hiding her disdained.

Her eyes reflected the many corpses of the ones Ellard had killed, among them there were no shortage of innocence. The blood that continued to trickle down the length of his sword was prove of their deaths by his hand.

However, Ellard remained unperturbed by her sudden insulting words his deep crimson eyes that were as red as blood seemed indifferent in the face of her disdained.

Although it wasn't his intentions, he knew his attack had claimed the lives of many innocence, he will not deny that, nor will he ignore this fact. He never saw himself as a perfect being capable of achieving anything. 

In wars there will always be casualties there was no overturning this fact. It was a natural universal rule.

Ellard slowly raised his sword and with a voice that was as cold as ice he said, "Rosalia, I will ask you one more time, return what you stole and turn yourself in. If you do, then I won't have to kill you."

"K-Kill me... He hehehe. Little Ellard have you forgotten how our last battle went? I believe you had said something similar at that time, but you were unable to kill me remember." Rosalia placed her hand against her lips as she chuckled pleasantly, however...

"Then let me rephrase that." Rosalia's playful expression changed abruptly as she heard his voice sounded directly at her ear.

"Die!" It was no longer a suggestion, but a direct order!

Swoosh!

Spurt!

As Ellard's sword was about to pierce her torso, she promptly shifted her body to the side and used her magic scepter to move the blade of the sword off course. However, despite her efforts her skin was still grazed by the blade of his sword.

"Ugh," She quickly used teleportation magic and appeared twenty meters away from Ellard as she held her right shoulder that was stained with blood.

"Bastard!" Rosalia glared at him hatefully, as she felt the stinging pain of her shoulder her anger seems to burn with more intensity. 

Using her left hand, she aimed her magic scepter at him as she recites her incantation, "I call upon the power of the earth, leave my enemies skewered, earth terrain!"

Soon, a large magic formation appeared on the ground as a violent quake began to take place.

Ellard hardened his expression as he leapt from the place, he stood mere moments ago. Hundreds of impalements rose up from the earth with the intentions of piercing his body.

With light footwork he easily evaded each earth impalement as they rose up from the land one after another. Seeing him easily dodging her spell a small sneer appeared at the corners of her lips as she slammed the bottom of her magic scepter onto the ground increasing the numbers of earth impalement.

"Tsk." Ellard clicked his tongue as he swung his sword, cutting down each of the impalement as they rose. He waved his hand as he used "blood manipulation" One of Akane's ability. The blood moved in accordance with his will, becoming sharp blades of solid blood that cut through the air.

The blades of blood collided with the earth impalement as they exploded dramatically!

However, Ellard frown as more impalement continued to rose up from the earth continuously!

Bang! Bang! Bang!...

With no wasteful movement he maneuvered his body around the area of effect skillfully while cutting down the impalements. However, as the number of impalements increased so did their speed!

But Ellard's wings suddenly spread outwards as he ascended high into the sky scattering white feathers everywhere. 'What a troublesome woman.' He thought as he gazes down below him indifferently. Rosalia pointed the tip of her magic scepter towards the sky, "Burn him, inferno!"

An orange three-layer magic formation appeared before the scepter as a blast of crimson flames radiating with a tremendous amount of heat approached him from the front.

Watching the incoming attack closing in on him, Ellard slowly raised his sword sky-ward before subsequently swinging it down. An arc of blood was then released from the blade and collided with the blast of flame!

BOOOOOM!...

The arc of blood easily cut the crimson flames in two halves as it continued on its path!

Spurt!

Blood gushed outwards as Rosalia's body was cut by the arc of blood! "Guh." A groan of pain left her mouth as she collapses onto the battlefield lying in a pool of blood.

As his wings flapped softly behind his back Ellard lowered the altitude of his flight as he descended onto the ground. And with calm and graceful steps he slowly approaches her injured figure.

Rosalia breathed heavily as she kept losing blood by the second, her face gradually lost its previous healthy glow.

"Haah... Haaah..." The faint sound of her breathing reached his ear as he gazes at her indifferently. Rosalia was once a servant serving the goddess, Udea but ultimately betrayed her and stole a very valuable artifact from her castle.

"... Are you ready to return what you had stolen?" He questioned.

"Haah... He hehe. Will you at least show some consideration here?" She said with a wry smile.

"Hmph, whether a traitor like you live or die doesn't concern me at all. In the end you would've died anyway."

"Oh, is that so? Hehehe... You shouldn't underestimate me, my dear Ellard. This body may die, but my spirit will live on!" Ellard's pupils contracted as his hand moved instantly, without any hesitation he Pierced her heart with the blade of his sword.

However, "Fufufu! You are too late! Even if my body dies, I can still live on in my astral form. Let's meet again, my dear Ellard." Faster than Ellard could move her soul vanished and faded away. 

"Damn it!" He cursed.

Soon, Akane appeared behind him as she gazes at the body of Rosalia and said with some seriousness, "Now that she had entered her astral form she should be weaken significantly. Don't worry it should take her a long time to go back to her peak. We have plenty of time to find her and catch her."

Ellard's long black hair swayed messily by the stirring wind as he replied. "Indeed, you are right. However, my concerns are mostly towards the artifact she stole... I don't know what she is planning but, that woman is very dangerous. I will definitely find her and next time. I will kill her."

...

"Mmrgh." Alan turns on his bed as the ray of the golden sun shone on his face. Akane materialize into her physical form as she gently touched his forehead and said playfully.

"Wake up sleepy head. Today is the day you're going to learn the techniques of the dragon clan, remember?"

Alan's eyelids twitched as he slowly opened his eyes, he gazed at Akane in annoyance before covering his face in the blanket.

Seeing this the corners of Akane's lips twitches, "Hey, will you wake up already! Are you forgetting about morning training?"

Beneath the covers Alan furrowed his brow as he felt he had an important dream just now, but he couldn't remember what it was.

'Well if I can't remember then it's probably not that important.' So, he told himself.

Meanwhile, Akane continued calling out to him in irritation while Alan pretended not to hear her as he hid beneath the covers of his blanket. 

This episode continued until both Trisa and Suzu arrived at his room to deliver his morning breakfast.