Chapter 26: Theodore’s Ordeal and Theresia’s Embrace

Worried about Theresia’s condition, Theodore rushed inside. However, the intense exertion rapidly catalyzed the potion he had just consumed.

Theodore’s heart pounded at an alarming rate. His body temperature soared, and the soft tissue below hardened to an iron-like rigidity, causing him immense discomfort. His rationality, like ice exposed to the scorching sun, melted away swiftly.

‘That concoction was definitely more than just a simple tonic!’

With no turning back, Theodore, despite being ensnared, could only steel himself and press forward.

Within mere seconds, he reached the deepest part of the cavern.

Most of the magical lamps, originally meant for illumination, had been shattered. The few remaining lights valiantly offered a faint glow, providing Theodore his last vestiges of sight.

The massive black dragon was recklessly thrashing about in the cavern’s open space. Great plumes of white steam constantly evaporated from Theresia’s body, shrouding the entire cave in a swirling mist.

Her ink-black scales were tinged with a rosy red glow from the terrifying heat of her body, and her normally domineering, stern brown dragon eyes were now veiled by a hazy mist.

Theodore wondered if he was hallucinating or if his condition had worsened. Why did Theresia, in her dragon form, seem to possess a hint of alluring charm at this moment?

However, he soon had no time to ponder whether he should consult a therapist.

****

When Theodore’s scent reached Theresia’s nostrils, she ceased her aimless thrashing. The commotion within her body and mind, far from being alleviated by any pain, only intensified.

‘Such a wonderful scent.’

‘So incredibly fragrant.’

‘Brother, you smell so good~~.’

Theresia’s expression turned enraptured as she hastily transformed into her human form.

In her human form, Theresia resembled a maiden fresh from a bath. Her golden-hued dragon eyes were firmly locked onto Theodore.

‘I want him!’

Her mind filled with these three words, Theresia charged directly at Theodore with terrifying speed. A dragon’s charge, even in human form, possessed extraordinary power.

****

*Boom!*

Large chunks of rock peeled away from the cavern wall due to the horrific impact. Theodore’s heavy armor shattered into pieces, like brittle plastic dropped to the ground.

Only then did Theodore grasp the Old Patriarch’s profound intention. The current Theresia truly had no sense of moderation.

A scorching, slick sensation spread across his cheek, a scene reminiscent of Tom the cat frantically savoring Jerry the mouse.

‘It’s not enough, nowhere near enough,’ she thought. Though she felt some relief, it was utterly insufficient; instead, an even fiercer desire surged within her.

Theresia had initially believed that at this crucial step, her mind would be filled with tens of thousands of thoughts. But she was wrong.

She was profoundly mistaken.

There was no hesitation, no resistance, and certainly no profound psychological reflection.

With a foolish grin, Theresia spoke, “Theodore, you’ve arrived.”

Theresia’s gaze upon him was not that of one person looking at another. Theodore felt more like a delicious little dessert placed on a giant beast’s dining table.

“I’m going to eat.”

Indeed, he was being treated as the main course!

With Theresia’s declaration, a great battle began.

This was not the reproduction of living beings, nor the catalysis of potions, nor the blessing of a curse. This was a primal confrontation of beasts.

****

“What need is there for reason? Only a beast can subdue another beast.”

Meanwhile, at the Emergency Center, the live video feed was now obscured by thick clouds of mist, revealing only blurry figures within.

However, this did not hinder the experienced Dragon Clan fertility team from digitally monitoring Theodore and Theresia’s various physical parameters and indicators.

Indeed, the mist itself was partly their doing. It contained not only the steam evaporating from Theresia’s body but also volatile potions they had magically sent inside.

These potent elixirs rapidly replenished the necessary nutrients and hydration for both human and dragon bodies, accelerating their recovery of stamina.

After all, the curse had yet to pass, and there had been instances where stamina ran out first, leaving the two dragons utterly mortified and the emergency team scrambling.

Theresia’s berserk state had also been anticipated, as the Patriarch had gathered valuable experience from Theresia’s reckless predecessors.

That experience revealed a crucial truth: the longer the suppression, the more violently the curse would erupt.

Once the curse began, any hint of rationality in either party would only inflict immense torment on their mind and body.

The Patriarch had prepared all possible contingencies. Yet, even with such thorough planning, there was no certainty that Theodore could endure until the very end.

‘Lad, being a Dragon Knight is no easy feat.’

****

On the first day, the two, having lost their minds, relentlessly tried to overpower each other, as if desperate to crush and devour the other.

This day offered little else to describe beyond the countless repetitions of that single, universally understood word.

****

By the second day, the most intense period of their struggle had passed.

“Hmph, a human body truly can’t compare to a giant dragon’s,” Theodore gasped, once again feeling the limits of human endurance.

The disparity in racial attributes loomed like a towering mountain reaching into the clouds, leaving Theodore feeling physically drained and hollow.

Though he, like a reef, valiantly resisted the surging waves, this was not a sustainable endeavor.

Fortunately, he had his cheat!

Swallowing five potions consecutively, he unleashed a primal force, once again bravely scaling the peak!

Summary of the second day: drink potion, that word, drink potion, that word, drink more potion, that word again.

****

On the third day, though still unable to control their urges, both had regained some semblance of rationality. Theresia’s mind, however, remained in a somewhat muddled state.

The singular mode of combat had begun to bore her, but thankfully, she had learned numerous techniques and knowledge from the works of various masters.

Upon reviewing the hundreds of combat strategies, Theodore felt a faint ache and tentatively inquired, “Isn’t this a bit too intense for you?”

Theresia wouldn’t hear of it. “No, I’m fine! Could it be that *you* can’t handle it? If you’re weak, practice more. If you can’t stand to lose… you still have to play hard.”

Though the potion reserves in his ring were dangerously low and his mental state had plummeted, a man could not utter the words ‘I can’t’ at such a moment!

Theodore, having shed his youthful naivety but not yet entered middle age, declared with a resounding voice, “Hmph, how could that be? I’m worried you’ll surrender midway! Just look at your belly right now!”

“A dragon’s belly can hold a ship.”

Theresia smiled, utterly enraptured, and said, “Since you have no objections, let’s begin.”

Theodore remained speechless.

This time, Theodore truly comprehended the vastness of the ocean.

****

As the third day drew to a close, the great battle that had raged for three full days finally concluded.

Theresia, with her immense physical advantage, claimed the ultimate victory, then collapsed into unconsciousness alongside Theodore.

Simultaneously, thunderous cheers erupted from the Emergency Center.

The young Dragon Guards, unable to maintain their strict discipline any longer, embraced one another, weeping with joy.

Cheers from the various teams were also incessant.

Although they had assisted countless members of the Dragon Clan through their estrus and birthing periods, this instance was particularly unique.

A human-dragon pair navigating the birthing period was a first in their entire dragon-serving careers.

The Patriarch had also instructed them to preserve the human’s life to the greatest extent possible, which had utterly exhausted these old bones.

As Theodore’s vital signs rollercoastered, so did their hearts. Never had they felt three days pass so slowly.

Yet, they had succeeded. While the human’s vital signs were far from healthy, they were still a long way from the brink of death.

The thought of the Patriarch doubling their reward for achieving this objective instantly made their dragon lives seem much more wonderful.

The Patriarch, for his part, nodded continuously. Theodore was indeed more resilient than he had imagined. Despite the numerous potions and magical enhancements, enduring a berserk black dragon was an immense test of willpower; an ordinary person would likely have simply collapsed.

‘If he can do this, perhaps *that* one can too.’

A nascent idea flickered in the Patriarch’s mind.

‘It’s worth a try.’

“Patriarch, should we bring them over for treatment now?” The Director, too, wore a benevolent smile. The smooth progression had exceeded his expectations. If it could result in a single successful conception…

The Director quickly cast that fantasy aside. It was highly improbable. Despite lasting three full days, the Dragon Clan’s reproductive capacity was truly poor, especially for newly matured dragons.

“No, there’s no hurry.”

The Patriarch, having made up his mind, spoke calmly, “Their vital signs are stable anyway. Leaving them there to recover on their own will be fine. Send some people to erase all traces of our presence in that cave, and ensure everyone’s story is consistent: we had absolutely no involvement in assisting with this estrus period.”

“No problem.”