The elf jerked back a large section, his face slightly pale.

Dark blood sliced over his shoulders, quickly staining half of his sleeve red—it was his blood.

When the blade of the sword in his left hand was about to cut the opponent's neck, he suddenly felt a strong uneasiness, and he couldn't tell whether it was because of his natural sensitivity and intuition, or because the swordsmanship in front of him was far inferior to him, but he tried to provoke him in various ways and persecute him, which was completely an unreasonable behavior of the pirate leader who couldn't wait for death.

The blade of the sword quickly deflected downwards and slashed across the opponent's shoulder...... It was he who was hurt.

The wound was not deep, but only a slender cut in the flesh. If it weren't for the fact that the momentum was not in time, even this wound should not have been left...... He lost control slightly.

But without the sword, he would never have known what the strange feeling that had been haunting him from the moment he saw Nine Toes had been—and he had been a little too cautious when he had doubts.

He admonished himself silently in his heart, trying to move his shoulder. For a short time, this injury will not affect him.

Nine Toes held the giant sword in one hand, touched his neck with the other, and then chuckled low at the blood stains on his hands.

"You're missing, Elf. He scoffed, "Try again, maybe cutting off my head or piercing my heart will kill me...... Like those legendary monsters?"

Sesyana narrowed her eyes and rushed forward again.

The cold light that swept through quickly made the room seem to be a little brighter. The nine-toed greatsword swung uselessly around him, failing to touch him from head to end...... Failed to touch his sword.

Wisps of torn fabric fell to the ground. When the elf suddenly withdrew his sword again, the upper half of the nine-toed body was completely exposed.

Ninetoe looked down at the rags all over the floor, and grinned gloomily.

"I didn't know that elves still had this hobby. He said.

Sesyana looked at him calmly. The young man spoke with a southern accent. The figure is more like a northerner, tall and strong, with bulging muscles...... And among the scars on his skin, old and new, a snake coiled like a huge symbol, covering his chest.

It looked like a tattoo that pirates loved...... But Sesyana had seen the same symbol.

“...... You are cursed. He said.

"You call this a 'curse'?" Ninetoe laughed, but there was no smile in his eyes, "You can't hurt me." Genie...... No one can hurt me, I will never die, and my life will outlive the dragon!"

"But you won't be satisfied with that. Nor will I feel the slightest joy. The elf's voice lowered, "Power, wealth, love...... You can't feel anything. Anger or pleasure. Sadness or calm, all little by little, is lost. There's a huge hole in your soul that can't be filled with anything, but it can only consume you...... But you're still alive, like the walking dead - no, the undead don't know what they've lost, and they don't suffer from it, you know. That emptiness and pain will be the only thing you have in your long life. Until you pray for the peace that death brings...... But you can never get it. ”

Ninetoe stared at him expressionlessly for a few moments before he spoke, "What do you know?"

The elf turned his head to look at the black dragon horn on the wall: "You killed this dragon?"

“...... No. Ninetoe snorted, "When I found it, it was all skeleton left. ”

The elf nodded, "Then maybe you shouldn't be greedy enough to cut off the horns." Elder dragons who have aged and died possess great power. And they won't allow their bones to be desecrated at will...... This is the dragon's curse. ”

Nine Toes was silent for a moment, then casually dropped the greatsword.

"How do you know that?" he asked, "I've asked a lot of people, I've asked the Archmage Towers who only talk about anything, and I've asked you elven scholars...... Nobody knows this. ”

“...... My name is Sesyana. "The elf doesn't seem to answer the question," Sesyana? The last name of the elf has a specific meaning......"

"Do I need to be interested in this?" Ninetoe rudely interrupted him, but elves were rarely provoked by such agitation and impatience.

"And many years ago," he continued, calmly, "our family name used to be 'dragon's blood.'" ”

He looked directly at the nine toes and finished the words word by word: "I am a descendant of the dragon slayer, and my ancestors ...... Suffered the same curse. ”

Whether it was pride or shame, even the mother could never tell...... It was a secret he should have kept, but if the past that had been buried in the river of time could be exchanged for Rosa, he would not hesitate in the slightest.

What's more, it never makes sense to try to bury any truth. It's like Ankeland...... All the efforts are just to let the so-called "secret" bring disaster that no one can predict at a moment that no one can predict.

"Sword language" is the original family name. After killing the spotted dragon, Sesyana's ancestor, an elf named Estreze, proudly changed their surname to "Dragon's Blood", as he was the hero who delivered the fatal blow...... Because the blood of the angry dragon was sprinkled all over him.

In the midst of the cheers and adoring gazes, no one knew that the dragon's final roar was an eternal curse.

Estreze is a fierce warrior. In the years since the dragon slay, he was invincible - no weapon or magic could harm him.

The ancient elves also knew very little about the mysteries of this world, believing that it was the protection of dragon's blood, until Estrize began to become extremely brutal and realized that something was wrong.

But no one has done anything about it. The elves of that time were surrounded by countless enemies, orcs, goblins, hill giants, cyclops, dragons, and even dwarves...... Estrezer's strength, even brutality, was what they needed. Even if his friends and loved ones disagreed with it, nothing could be changed.

The real tragedy happens when peace comes. A few years after leaving the battlefield, Estrezer, who was gradually going mad, killed all his companions who had slain dragons with him on a starlit night and disappeared into the night.

The heroes of yesteryear have turned into long-lasting nightmares. No one can beat him...... No one could kill him. For decades, Estreze haunted the forest like a ghost - the vast mountains and forests now known as Karnak, just behind this bay.

(To be continued.) )