Volume Dragon: Start by obtaining the Infinity Gems

Chapter 274 Quantum Collapse Eye (Two in One)

The red glow of the setting sun seeped out from the core of the [Troubled Demon Star] and flowed on the silver scales of the scroll dragon. Nemesis deliberately raised the artifact half an inch so that the lava-like patterns on the surface of the demon star were reflected in the depths of the shadow dragon's pupils - he knew too well the suppression power of this ancient artifact on the true dragon bloodline.

Alvarez's slender dragon neck instinctively retracted, and the shadow-condensed mane evaporated into wisps of black mist under the radiation of the demon star. He could feel the true dragon instinct deep in his soul trembling, which was the fear memory recorded in the dragon genes - the dragon slayers of the Elf King's Court 30,000 years ago were holding this star-shaped artifact to tear apart the pride of the ancient true dragon.

"It seems that you understand these ancient runes." Nemesis let the demon star spin on the tip of his claws, and the friction between the artifact and the scales made a teeth-grinding scream. "Do you want to be a servant of the shadow dragon, or be a firewood for the hellfire dragon?"

When he said "hellfire dragon", the tip of the shadow dragon's tail covered with stardust suddenly twitched. They had all seen those pitiful creations: the dragons that were forcibly infused with hellfire by the evil star would lose their inherited scales, and the new lava shells would be covered with wriggling blood vessels, and even the dragon crystals would be forged into empty shells with sulfur smoke.

"How dare you desecrate the blood of Tiamat." Alvarez screamed through his teeth, his vertical pupils fixed on the leaping black flames at the core of the demon star. As a direct descendant of the ancient dragon who had experienced the Dragonfall War, he knew better than anyone the viciousness of this artifact - it could even bypass the protection of the Dragon Mother and directly rewrite the origin of the true dragon.

Nemesis suddenly restrained his dragon power. He lowered his head and neck, and this seemingly weak gesture made the shadow dragon's scales make an uneasy friction sound. The slender front claws of the scroll dragon gently brushed the surface of the demon star, and the artifact immediately responded by projecting thousands of blood-colored runes, weaving on the ruins of the temple into a holographic image of the blue dragon in the desert that year: those shrill dragon roars were still piercing after twenty years of sealing, and the stripped inherited memories turned into light particles and dissipated in the purgatory wind.

"The devils would probably say that I am the worst contractor." Nemesis' voice was suddenly filled with the echo of the abyss, and his shadow split into seven hideous forms under the shining of the demon star. "After all, it took more than ten years to transform a dragon. It is indeed not worthy of the artifact forged by the great devil himself."

Alvarez felt a tingling chill in his spine. He noticed that the shadow of the scroll dragon was consuming the remaining shadow energy on the temple floor—this was not the ability of a scroll dragon. When a twisted shadow touched his bleeding left wing, the wound suddenly felt a sharp pain as if it was being bitten by countless insects.

"Thousand years!" The shadow dragon suddenly spread its wings, and the broken membrane wings looked like two blood-stained battle flags in the red light of the demon star. "The White Mystery is above, Alvarez Starmark is willing to serve for a thousand years!" He embedded the triple true name oath in the ancient dragon language, which was a heavier shackle than the soul contract.

Nemesis's dark purple pupils flashed with a hint of amusement. This Shadow Dragon actually gave in? But that was fine. Although the Hellfire Dragon was also very powerful, the Shadow Dragon's strong talent for Shadow Mysticism would allow Nemesis to benefit a lot when learning Shadow Mysticism.

"A wise choice." The Scroll Dragon suddenly returned to human form, and its pale fingers passed through the blood-red runes projected by the Demon Star. Alvarez was shocked to find that the other party's human-shaped pupils actually maintained the vertical pupil structure of dragons, and the light spots of the Demon Star rune were still floating on the iris.

When the oath was fulfilled, the Shadow Dragon suddenly trembled violently. Star-like substances oozed out from his broken scales. These shadow essences that should have healed his wounds, but now spontaneously flowed into the ancient book in Nemesis's hand. The heavy book bound in dragon skin was greedily devouring his original power.

"Don't worry, this is just a side effect of the contract." Nemesis in human form smiled as he flipped open the codex. The newly formed pages showed the star-patterned scales of the Shadow Dragon. "After all, to learn the secret art of shadow, you need some experimental materials."

Suddenly, there was a roar of space breaking outside the temple, but Alvarez had no time to care about anything else. He stared at the shadow runes that kept multiplying on the book, and felt that all the strength in his body was leaking away.

After a long time, when countless dark shadow energies were collected into Nemesis's spellbook, one-third of the pages turned into a gray tone that exuded an ominous aura.

This is the ability of the Spell Keeper. Although he can copy the spells of all spellcaster professions through this profession, a good cook cannot cook without rice.

Only by soaking Nemesis's spellbook with a large amount of alien energy, the new pages can support him in completing the transcription of the shadow secrets.

At this time, Shana and others on the side were already stunned.

Fortunately for Shana, after experiencing the battles on the Maztec continent, she already knew how powerful this scroll dragon was.

But Ebis and Cade, two ordinary mid-level adventurers, are not so knowledgeable.

Erbis slumped down on the altar steps, her shirt under her leather armor already soaked with cold sweat. As an adventurer who had embarked on the path of paragon, she should have been accustomed to supernatural phenomena. But when Alvarez lowered his scarred dragon head, she clearly heard the crisp sound of her common sense system breaking down - just like the drunken old wizard who suddenly solved the time and space paradox in the Waterdeep Tavern three years ago.

Cade was in a worse situation. The wanderer, known for boasting about his courage, was crouching in the shadows, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. Three hours ago, he was still mocking the "little white-faced scholar" for not being able to hold a torch, but now he wanted to dig out the eyes of the dragon that he had offended. He swallowed hard, and the sound of his Adam's apple rolling was particularly clear in the dead silence.

When Nemesis turned around, Shana noticed something unusual about his human form: the hair that had been disguised as silver threads in the tomb was now clearly flowing liquid mithril, with tiny dragon runes floating on the ends of his hair.

The dragon's magical power became even more terrifying, and even in human form it began to uncontrollably display some dragon-like characteristics.

When his eyes swept over Marov's dried corpse, Shana's eyes also moved over.

"I thought you were going to the Fallen Dragon City." The voice of the scroll dragon carried the multiple resonances unique to dragon language. The cracks in the temple wall suddenly leaked silver light, illuminating Shana's pale face in every detail.

In response to Juan Ce Long's question, Shana was silent for a while, then she pressed the brand mark with her thumb and exerted force until her knuckles turned white. "Some debts must be repaid before the creditor's lair collapses."

Nemesis noticed that Shana looked at the long-dead Marov on the ground with hatred and a hint of confusion.

He seemed to be thinking about something and did not continue asking questions. His dragon eyes turned to look at Ebis and Cade.

When Longwei turned to the two adventurers, Ebis's boots scraped against the ground with a harsh sound. She rubbed her hands nervously and trembled all over. This was the uncontrollable instinct of low-level creatures when facing a real dragon.

Cade was also frightened by his previous actions.

However, what he didn't know was that to the Scroll Dragon, both he and Ebis were just ants, not worthy of attention at all. Nemesis had long forgotten his previous behavior.

"I'm sorry, Lord Dragon, we didn't know that before." Cade spoke tremblingly and stutteringly, but was interrupted by Nemesis before he could finish.

"Moreno is waiting for you." Nemesis waved his fingers casually, and the dragon's might was revealed, making them shut up: "There is an ice cave halfway up the mountain, where there are traces of a campfire."

"He's still alive!" Ebis' scream broke into sobs when it touched the dragon's might.

"You found Moreno?!" Erbis said excitedly. Ah, Moreno, whom she had been thinking about so much, was still alive. Thanks to the dragon.

Nemesis nodded slightly, and Ebis became even more excited. On the contrary, Cade, who was standing beside him, moved his lips and gurgled like a drowning man. When the eyes of the scroll dragon fell on him, the mage finally realized that there was no reflection of himself in the inhuman purple pupils. The memories of "pretty boy" and "drag" were thinner than the morning mist at this moment. His panic suddenly calmed down, and he even had the mood to think about other things.

Is she still alive?
"Ai Aisha" When the young man said this name from his cracked lips, the tip of his tongue tasted the sweetness of rust. He subconsciously wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, but when he saw the dark red blood, his pupils trembled slightly, and his Adam's apple rolled to swallow his uneasiness: "Have you ever seen a girl named Aisha?"

Nemesis used his little finger to curl the silver hair beside his ear, and his dark purple pupils reflected the cold sweat oozing from the other's forehead. When he shook his head, the last ray of hope in the young man's eyes went out like a candle in the wind. The Book Dragon turned and walked towards the rugged back of the Shadow Dragon, and the cloak inlaid with Selune runes fluttered in the wind in the temple.

"Open the demiplane hub, Alvarez."

The shadow dragon with its head bowed gasped like a broken bellows, and indigo blood beads oozed out from its dark gold scales. As the ancient spell vibrated in its throat, the entire temple began to emit the roar of gears meshing. Nemesis lowered his eyes and watched the marble under his feet ripple, and his reflection was twisted into countless silver fragments in the ripples.

The moment the feeling of weightlessness enveloped my whole body, darkness wrapped around all my senses like velvet.
-
Stasis Observation Tower

When the vision became clear again, Nemesis was floating in the void like a sea of ​​stars. Tens of thousands of gray-white gears were suspended in a ring, and dark purple stardust flowed in each tooth groove. The cold precision of the mechanical structure and the strange splendor of the nebula were perfectly blended here. In the center of their circle, a tower of Babel made of diamond-shaped crystal lattices was pulsating, and each mirror surface of the tower was refracting afterimages of different time and space.

The tower seems to be made of countless gears, and is inlaid with a large amount of reflective transparent glass material.

Nemesis' body floated in the void, without feeling any gravity.

"This is... a separate pocket space? What a genius design." Nemesis looked around in admiration: "In the demiplane, there is another smaller pocket space hidden. If there is no corresponding spell to unlock it, I'm afraid the intruder will never find the location of the hub that controls the demiplane in his lifetime."

"Is this right here?"

As he drifted towards the central mechanical tower, a sense of cold gaze crept up his spine. The mirrors inlaid in the tower were not glass, but virtual crystal prisms pressed into a flat surface. Each mirror reflected the end of his different timelines: sometimes his skull was pierced by mechanical tentacles, and sometimes he turned into quantum dust and drifted away.

"Zizi. Welcome - hiss - observation tower!" A ball of light shot out from the tower's top pipe, and scanning lines like old-fashioned cathode ray tubes danced on its surface. "Visitor protocol loading. Race: Volume Dragon (mutant). Pollution index: 17.3%. It is recommended to implement the first - hiss - disinfection procedure?"

Nemesis' fingertips quietly condensed the Dragon Language Disintegration Rune: "I prefer a friendly visit, Tower Spirit."

The light ball suddenly emitted a cheerful electronic sound: "Just a joke! Just a little joke! I am Seagull No. 99.73, providing you with % sincere service!" It circled around the scroll dragon diligently, scattering colorful ribbons with a metallic luster along the way, "Please be sure to ignore those cute little prisms. The previous owner always liked to throw failed experiments in~"

When Talling mentioned the "failed experiment", the face of the lich suddenly appeared on the nearest virtual crystal prism - the face covered with rusty rivets was screaming silently, and what was rotating in the eye sockets was not the fire of the soul, but a set of micro gears.

Nemesis looked at the interior of the Mage Tower, which had rusty metal pipes extending from certain corners and was filled with metal doors, and felt as if he was in a technological world.

This feeling is so incongruous.

Seeing that the tower spirit had a good attitude, Nemesis made a direct request: "Where is the hub of this demiplane? Can you take me there?"

The ball of light laughed lively in the air, and seemed to be very happy to see Nemesis' question: "Of course, but before that, you must pass a test."

Nemesis frowned and asked, "What test?"

The light ball said mysteriously: "I have learned the basic theory of a legendary spell called [Eye of Quantum Collapse]."

Nemesis' eyes widened. He was just a seventh-ring wizard, but this ball of light actually asked him to learn the basic theories of legendary spells? !
Although he was not asked to learn how to cast legendary spells directly, it would still be very difficult.

"A surge in dopamine secretion has been detected. You seem very excited?" The light ball suddenly stuck to the tip of his nose, and the red light like an iris scan swept across the dark purple pupils. "Warning: The probability of learning this theory leading to cognitive collapse is 63.5%. Do you need to sign a waiver agreement?"

"No, that would be best."

Without waiting for him to speak, a beam of light suddenly shot out from the surface of the light ball and hit a wall in the center of the hall on the first floor of the Mage Tower.

The wall made a rumbling sound, and a secret door appeared. The ball of light eagerly guided Nemesis all the way.

"In this secret storage room, the favorite work of my former master, the demigod lich Arthurerek, is sealed. It is also one of the most difficult legendary spells. All knowledge about it is sealed in this storage room. Learn the basic theory of this spell and pass my questions, then you will be qualified to go to the hub."

Nemesis pushed aside the noisy tower spirit and strode towards the dark room with cracked walls.

There was nothing in the secret room except the stone platform in the center. A thick book with a transparent crystal cover lay quietly on top of the platform.

He placed his hand on the spine of the Vecna ​​Anthology. He could feel the anthology getting hot, and some of the verses reorganized into a warning in the dim light of the dark room: "When machines devour the stars, observers become prey."

The stone platform in the center of the secret room was covered with cathode ray tube-like patterns, and the books with crystal covers were suspended in the electromagnetic field. When Nemesis touched the Selected Poems of Vecna, the cover of the book suddenly opened three mechanical eyes, and the Fibonacci sequence rotated deep in the pupils.

"When I wrote it, 47% of the source code was detected as an unknown mechanical language... That's not Vecna's power."

The warning words at the beginning burned an afterimage on the retina. Nemesis suddenly coughed violently, and the blood drops he coughed up were suspended in the air. Each drop reflected a different future scene, and the pictures were all crazy and absurd.

"Start the timer~" Ta Ling's voice was filled with strange electrical noises, "If you don't complete the basic theory before cognitive overload, your brain will turn into a beautiful probability cloud~"

(End of this chapter)