When he saw clearly the two people dueling on the battlefield, his brows furrowed together and he muttered to himself, “Could it be him…”

Volume One: Friendship of Ice and Snow

Chapter Seven: The Ancient Dragon’s Diary

“What is the happiest thing in the mortal world?”

“It’s love.”

“No, it’s having a pile of pearls and agate as high as a mountain, and then sleeping on top of it every day.”

“Wrong, wrong, you’re both wrong. The happiest thing is eating delicious fish.”

“Get out～～～” I spewed a long stream of fire, and with a powerful swing of my tail, swept a few little ones—who knows if they’re my grandkids or great-grandkids—out of my cave. Sigh, even after more than 3,000 years as a dragon, my temper is still this bad.

Every time after losing my temper at the little ones, I lie atop a mountain-high pile of gold and jewels, and feel deeply guilty.

What is the happiest thing in the world?

24

I grabbed a trout brought as tribute by some little one—I don’t even know which—and took a big bite. White liquid dribbled down the corner of my mouth.

What is the happiest thing in the world?

Ah, I remember now: a long, long time ago, back when I was still a little green dragon—so very small, I didn’t even know I was a dragon～～I always thought I was a puppy. Hoho, my silly master Great Blue Mountain thought so too. Every time he went hunting, he always took me along. Whenever he hit prey but it wasn’t dead, he always wanted me to chase it. So I would run and run, stumbling all the way, but could never catch up.

Later, when I got anxious, I’d shout “Hahu!” at those poor animals, and wow, just like that, they’d turn into ice sculptures—haha, back then I didn’t know this was the green dragon clan’s innate dragon breath.

Every day, after fighting with Great Blue Mountain over the roasted game at night, I felt the happiest: after dinner, with a blazing campfire in front of us, all warm and cozy, I’d rest my head on Great Blue Mountain’s full little belly and count the stars in the sky one by one. At night, I’d squeeze into the same bed with Great Blue Mountain, and he loved hugging my neck as he slept.

Those happy days lasted until we met that damned magician.

I really miss my companion—Great Blue Mountain. Do you know I’m thinking of you?

What’s this, so chilly… I remember dragons don’t shed tears.

——Excerpt from the diary of the ancient holy ice green dragon Travis

※※※

No one could imagine that the berserker’s afterimages could attack from different angles.

The four rapidly approaching afterimages slashed their axes fiercely at Amy’s left shoulder, right shoulder, waist, and leg at the same time. The berserker in front let out a furious roar, his blood-red eyes reflected in the equally crimson axe blade, like a dazzling red meteor, chopping straight down.

“Ah～～” The few girls in the bar covered their eyes and screamed.

“I summon you in my name—come forth, phantom beast spirit wolf.” Behind the massive barrier, Ethan Brooks had already picked up his spear and shield, ready to go help Amy.

“No need to help me.” In the midst of the axe shadows, Amy shouted. His body twisted in an unbelievable way, flipping backward in a hollow somersault, and jumped straight out of the encirclement.

“Crack, crack…” After several strange sounds, the berserker afterimages that collided with the sword afterimages made odd noises and all shattered.

25

The black sword drew a semicircle in the air, carrying Amy as it charged at the berserker. The berserker, unable to activate his afterimages again, had his double axes conjure countless phantoms to block the blunt sword with all his might. Without any pause, the black sword bounced up just half a meter, then, with a whistling wind and lightning-fast afterimage, slashed down again.

Clang, clang… once, twice, three times, four times, five times, six times, seven times, eight times…

The same spot, the same angle, the same black blunt sword, the same black lightning-like sword shadow flickered. The berserker could do nothing else; his battle axes only kept blocking, blocking, blocking… Each block forced him to step back to make room for the next lightning-fast strike. Even with a blunt sword, such force could cut a person in two.

The blunt sword bounced up again, the angle of lightning suddenly changed, drawing a strange semi-arc, and Amy appeared together in front of the berserker’s abdomen. “Ah～～” The berserker, whose battle axe was still in midair, cried out in shock. The icy chill of the black lightning had already pierced his skin.

“Double-handed sword, waist cut, first form!” someone in the bar exclaimed.

The black lightning vanished in an instant, “whoosh～” transforming into a violent sword wind. In a flash, the long sword shifted from horizontal to vertical, slamming hard into the berserker’s lower abdomen. The berserker was sent flying, along with his massive battle axe, disappearing in the direction of the door.

“Awooo～～～” An inhuman sound came from downstairs in the Treehouse Bar, tearing through the snowy night, tugging at everyone’s heart.

The huge Treehouse Bar swayed like branches in a storm, its walls creaking. “Boom”—the west side of the building seemed unable to withstand the immense pressure and burst open, and a gigantic figure, wrapped in the cold wind from outside, barged in.