Debuff Master-Chapter 836

The kiss lasted for roughly a second and a half.

“Thank you, my savior,” Keanus said with a graceful bow.

‘This stays a secret! A secret forever! Not a soul should know about it!’

Siegfried looked around the empty lair anxiously, his eyes darting nervously. He was terrified that someone or anyone could have seen what had happened just now.

What if somebody had seen it and word happened to get out?

The mere thought of it sent shivers down his spine.

The amount of public condemnation he would suffer would be too much.

“Ugh! You sleazebag!”

“Pervert!”

“Womanizer!”

“He’s at it again!”

“I knew it!”

However, what scared him the most was Brunhilde and Verdandi’s reactions.

“Oh, I see. Are you planning to take a concubine, Your Majesty?”

“Father! Does this mean I will have a new mother?”

Siegfried decided then and there that he could not let word of this get out.

‘I’m taking this to the grave with me!’

He knew he would not be able to survive the fallout if word got out. Of course, it was not that he had done anything wrong or had cheated on Brunhilde, as this was merely an expression of gratitude from the dragon he had saved.

Technically, Siegfried had a clear conscience.

But would others see it that way? Absolutely not!

Years ago, a ridiculous rumor had circulated, and it claimed that Siegfried was some sort of notorious womanizer, a lecher, and a shameless degenerate. Most of that had mostly been dismissed as nonsense by now, but still…

“Haha… Hahaha… T-To think the great and noble being would bestow a kiss upon me. I am truly overwhelmed and honored,” Siegfried said, laughing nervously while sweat trickled down his face.

“I could do more for you, you know?” Keanus said with a sly grin.

“P-Pardon?!”

“Dragons are beings who never owe a debt to any other intelligent creature, apart from another dragon, of course.”

“W-Well, I suppose that makes sense. Haha..”

“But the fact that you saved my life from the Dragon Slayer is something I will never forget for the rest of my days.”

It was quite a commitment whenever a dragon said the phrase "for the rest of my days." They, on average, lived for about eight thousand years, and some even surpassed nine thousand years, closing in on ten thousand years.

As for Keanus? At roughly four thousand years old, she had just entered her prime.

In other words, she was saying that she would not forget what Siegfried did for another four thousand years—at the very least.

“Now, tell me. Who are you?” Keanus asked, her gaze fixated on Siegfried. Then, she added, “I wish to know more about my savior.”

“Uh… well… that’s…”

“Allow me to bring refreshments first. Please wait here.”

“Oh, uh… okay.”

Siegfried knew better than to refuse a dragon’s hospitality, so he stayed put. After all, dragons were notoriously proud creatures, so even if he saved her life, wounding her pride could result in consequences beyond what he could imagine.

Roughly three hours later…

“...And that’s how I ended up saving you, Lady Keanus.”

“I see… I understand now, my savior,” Keanus said, nodding after piecing the story together.

“S-Savior? That’s really not necessary.”

“But it’s true that you saved my life.”

“Well, I mean, sure, but…”

“I shall become the guardian dragon of your kingdom.”

“...!”

“Since you saved me, I shall protect you and the lands you rule.”

A message popped up in front of Siegfried’s eyes.

***

[Alert: You have acquired a new skill – Guardian Dragon’s Oath!]

[Guardian Dragon’s Oath]

[A covenant of protection granted to those who saved a dragon’s life.]

[Type: Passive Skill]

[Duration: Minimum 4,000 years]

[Effects: The Guardian Dragon will appear to assist whenever the Proatine Kingdom is in danger.]

[Note 1: This effect disappears if Silver Dragon Keanus dies.]

[Note 2: The effect will not activate during invasions of enemy territories.]

[Note 3: Keanus will not provide assistance if the Proatine Kingdom commits evil acts and is invaded by other nations as a consequence.]

Siegfried gained what could be called the ultimate shield to protect the Proatine Kingdom.

‘Whoa! This is awesome!’

He was thrilled that Keanus had agreed to become the Guardian Dragon of the Proatine Kingdom.

Of course, the Proatine Kingdom already had two individuals stronger than Keanus. However, both Deus and Vulcanus were bound by the laws of causality. They were restricted from interfering, regardless of whether the Proatine Kingdom was in danger of falling into ruins or not.

If they were to interfere, then they would disrupt the laws of causality, leading them straight to ascension, which would transform them into divine beings.

However, Keanus was different. In her case, there were no such restrictions. Meaning, Siegfried had gained the most practical and powerful defender that a nation could possibly wish for on the continent.

“I am deeply grateful for the benevolence of such a great and noble being,” Siegfried said, bowing his head deeply. He was not merely bowing to curry favor with the dragon this time, as he was sincerely grateful for obtaining a Guardian Dragon for his kingdom.

“Think nothing of it. I am merely repaying a debt.”

“I do not know how to thank you enough.”

“You are quite the humble human.”

“Not at all… Hahaha…”

"That said, this is truly troubling. The angels attacking… it seems the heavens have begun their attack. Perhaps the Creator’s wrath has finally been unleashed…”

“Oh? Are you familiar with what happened?” Siegfried asked, surprised.

“Certainly. The Crusade for Freedom is the gravest sin our dragon race has ever committed.”

“Ah…”

“With so many dragons already dead, more Dragon Slayers are likely to emerge.”

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

“What?! There may be more Dragon Slayers?” Siegfried exclaimed, alarmed by what he heard.

“Indeed. A Dragon Slayer is the incarnation of Garuda and is not limited to a single individual. At any given time, there can be more than ten in existence simultaneously.”

“...!”

“I must inform the Dragon Lords of this and prepare a countermeasure.”

“We humans would be most grateful if the Dragon Lords would intervene.”

Siegfried welcomed Keanus’ words with great enthusiasm. After all, if the dragons became involved in the main scenario of BNW, the Holy War, then it would, without a doubt, make things far easier for everyone.

“This is a threat that could potentially lead to the destruction of the world itself, so they must act with haste.”

“Hahaha… I agree with your wisdom, Great and Mighty One!”

“For now, I’ll go and reach out to the Dragon Lords.”

With that, Keanus left to contact the Dragon Lords, leaving Siegfried to marvel at the events that would soon unfold.

***

The naval base of the Naval Alliance was in a festive mood. With the location of the Green Isles revealed, everyone assumed that it was only a matter of time before news of a decisive victory was delivered.

In preparation for their men’s triumphant return, the base was bustling with workers and non-combat personnel preparing for an extravagant victory parade.

The conquest of the Green Isles was a long-standing dream of the Naval Alliance, so the celebration had to match this historic event.

Suddenly, someone shouted.

“Look! The fleet is returning!”

“It’s the ships! They’re back!”

“Our men have returned victorious from the Green Isles!”

“Sound the horns of victory!”

The naval base erupted with cheers as the docked warships blasted their horns to welcome the heroes who had fulfilled their centuries-old dreams.

Preparations for the parade were yet to be completed, as the fleet returned earlier than expected. However, nobody had any problems, as the parade could always be rescheduled.

Unfortunately, the fleet’s arrival was far from what anyone imagined it would be.

Kyaaah!

Kieeeek!

Gwook! Gwook!

Grrrrk!

Dozens of sea monsters flanked the returning fleet.

But that was only the beginning…

“Welcome to the fleet of the damned!”

“You fools! Not even death can stop us!”

Leading the fleet was none other than the infamous ship that was considered a legend of the seas, the Nautilus. Along with the legendary ship was a ghostly fleet manned by ghost pirates.

And at the bow of the ship was…

“Captain Drake! It’s Captain Francis de Drake!”

“Captain Drake has captured Grand Marshal Claude!”

Chaos erupted when the navy realized that Siegfried, standing at the bow of the Nautilus, had captured Claude and was holding the latter by the scruff of his neck.

However, the most terrifying fact had yet to come.

Krwaaaaang!

With a thunderous roar from the heavens, Silver Dragon Keanus swooped down over the naval base and unleashed Dragon Fear to assert her dominance.

“Who dared to lay a hand on the Green Isles?!”

Under Siegfried’s request, Keanus made her presence known by appearing in front of the naval base and unleashing her dominating aura.

“M-Mercy!”

“Please! Spare us your wrath!”

“We beg for your forgiveness!”

Overwhelmed by terror, every person at the naval base dropped to their knees, bowing and pleading fervently for mercy.

‘As expected, nothing can beat a dragon when it comes to showing who has the bigger guns,’ Siegfried thought with a grin, nodding in satisfaction.

Keanus had done nothing during the naval battle, so she had not affected the outcome whatsoever, but Siegfried had deliberately brought her along for one reason.

Since a dragon was involved, the Naval Alliance would never dare to even think of seeking vengeance.

“I will let it slide this time because of Captain Drake! But if anyone dares to disturb the Green Isles again, I will punish them without mercy! Do you understand?!”

To make a dramatic point, Keanus swung her large tail, cleaving one of the navy’s top-tier warships cleanly in half.

“...!”

The sailors were stunned into silence at the sight. One of their finest ships was cleaved in half by a single strike of the dragon’s tail. They had heard stories of dragons being mighty creatures, but witnessing it firsthand with their own eyes was completely different than just hearing about it.

“I will say it once more for the last time! Anyone who dares to invade the Green Isles will face extinction! There will be no exceptions!” Keanus roared, her voice reverberating throughout the entire naval base.

“W-We hear and obey, O Great One!”

“We swear on the seas to never approach the Green Isles ever again!”

The sailors prostrated and groveled on the ground. Keanus’ Dragon Fear seemed to have terrified them to the point of losing all sense of reason; they repeatedly banged their heads on the ground in submission.

Siegfried seized the opportunity and raised his voice, “All units, listen up! Seize every warship and vessel docked at this place! Move out!”

“Yes, sir!”

Siegfried’s plan was not just to humiliate the navy but to strip them of everything valuable they had as well.

“Take all the supplies and ammunition stored in the base! Don’t forget the valuables! Ah, even food! Hell, just take it all if you think it’s worth something!”

Under Siegfried’s command, the pirates—no, marines of the Green Isles swept through the naval base for hours, leaving no stone unturned.

The navy sailors trembled with rage at the blatant looting of their base, but none of them dared to act out. Their only choice was to cower and suffer the humiliation, as a mighty dragon was watching them intently from above.

Meanwhile, Siegfried took the chance to lecture the navy’s senior officers, including the deputy commander.

“Hey, why are you picking a fight with someone who wants to turn a new leaf? Let me tell you once again—the Green Isles will be reforming and living a new life. From now on, we are a law-abiding maritime kingdom. So don’t forget it, okay?” Siegfried addressed the naval officers.

The officers nodded in response, agreeing with what he said.

However, they were silently grumbling inside.

‘Turning over a new leaf, my foot!’

‘If this isn’t piracy, then what the hell is this?!’

‘Do you expect us to believe that crap when you're ransacking our base in front of our eyes?!’

Unfortunately, none of them had the galls to voice their thoughts aloud.

Shortly after ransacking the naval base of everything valuable, Siegfried turned around to leave.

“Ah, consider this guy a parting gift. You can do with him as you please,” he said nonchalantly.

He threw Claude, who was gagged with a filthy sock and was bound tightly, to the ground. Then, without looking back, he and his crew departed into the waters.

***

After parting ways with Keanus, Siegfried traveled across the continent using warp gates to complete his quest of embedding the Praystones into his statues throughout the major cities on the continent.

His final stop was the Proatine Kingdom, and he inserted the Praystone into his statue while his people and devoted followers surrounded him.

[Alert: You have completed the Epic Quest – Communication Is Key!]

[Alert: You have completed the Epic Quest – Rally the Followers!]

[Alert: You have completed the Epic Quest – Establish a Religious Order!]

The long and arduous epic quest chain came to an end.

A golden radiance, the sign of a class advancement happening, surged around Siegfried’s body, enveloping him completely.

Ding!

A moment later, a string of messages popped up in front of his eyes.

[Alert: Congratulations!]

[Alert: You have obtained a new quest!]

Details about his second class finally appeared before him.