First Demonic Dragon-Chapter 943: A Change of Nature II

It's... not as uncommon of a scenario as one might think.

Humans are lustful, divisive, brilliant, jovial, and dim-witted.

But they are also simple.

They may harbor fantasies of grand destinies and being of a chosen few, but the reality is that there is a not-so-small caste of humans who would not actually know what to do with such an opportunity.

The sheer vastness of what they were being handed might overwhelm them.

But back then, Abaddon was witnessing this phenomenon for the first time and did not understand their decision.

He told them that he could make them stronger. Better. Give them power beyond their wildest imagination and gift them eternal life.

They would be able to fly, pluck the very stars from the sky, and journey to the center of the sun if they felt like it.

He didn't understand why they wouldn't take such an opportunity.

But the reason, he came to learn, was staggeringly simple.

Some people just don't want more. They wanted to live their lives, pass on in peace, and become one with nature.

They want to see their ancestors and those deceased and dwell in a land removed from unkind human vices.

While they were grateful for the offer... it just wasn't something that they felt they needed.

And coming to grips with the fact that their decision had nothing to do with their admiration of him was one of the moments that defined him as a person.

Abaddon was among the most powerful beings in existence.

If he wanted, he could have forced these people to follow him. Or manipulated their minds so that they were much more susceptible to the idea of going.

But he had to seriously ask himself if that was the kind of man he wanted to be.

Immortal morality was shaky sometimes, but Abaddon did believe in universal right and wrong. Perhaps that came from his parents…

And so even though he wasn't fully okay with it, he accepted the decision of the remainder of the tribe and allowed them to stay on earth.

Rather than being difficult for him, it was even more difficult for his sisters.

Kanami and Malenia were nearly inconsolable.

They didn't understand why their extended family would choose to live apart from them.

And humanity was not yet evolved enough to understand that just because someone doesn't do what you want them to, it doesn't mean that they hold anything against you.

Because the sisters were so distraught over the choices of their kin, their departure was not as warm and fluffy as they would've liked. And thousands of years later, it was one of their greatest regrets.

Their leaving behind of the artifacts was less of a tearful goodbye, and more of a desire to walk away from those they felt were abandoning them.

But Abaddon wasn't able to move on so cleanly.

His lingering wish for prosperity for his people was what imbued the lingering artifacts with the minor powers they had.

And despite his bitter feelings, he kept up a cheerful demeanor as he bid his clan a very sorrowful goodbye.

The elders, the shamans, and the priestesses must've sensed his inner sorrow, because before he left, they made him a very meaningful promise.

They claimed they would spread tales of his might and valor all across the world for every soul to hear. That that even if they could not see him, they would ensure that the world never forgot him.

Their promise, while well-intentioned, was never fulfilled.

-

Abaddon's mind only came back to focus when he felt a small hand touch his cheek.

K'ael was always warm, but this felt like a deliberate ploy to get his attention. Or at least more so than normal, that is.

Seeing that face allowed Abaddon to pull himself together. Somewhat.

He turned to Buddha and showed a faux smile.

"...I'm fine, I assure you." Abaddon repeated. "I simply let a madman get to me, and it caused me to lash out with some unbecoming behavior. But it isn't something I will allow to happen again."

Abaddon smiled faintly as he pinched one of K'ael's cheeks. His child's giggling solidified his mental state.

He was fine. They were fine. Everything was fine.

All that mattered was that he remembered exactly what was truly important. Everything else was of little to no concern.

Buddha 'stared' at Abaddon for a long time.

But in a completely unexpected turn of events, the ancient god just smiled and patted the dragon on the shoulder. "Right then. You'll forgive the meddling of another old man, won't you? I was just a little concerned about an old acquaintance, is all." freeweɓnovel.cѳm

The conversation had taken such a fast turn that Abaddon had whiplash. "Right…"

Buddha leaned back in his chair without a care and immediately went right back to fishing. "Of course you're fine. You're not one to allow any upstart being to get underneath your skin like that. I'm sure it was just an off day. A lapse in control, if you will."

Abaddon stared at Buddha awkwardly. "Umm... Okay."

"Let's not forget, you are the great Abaddon Tathmet!" Buddha raised his fist in a mighty gesture, which honestly seemed quite ill-fitting for him. "The dragon who encompasses the cosmos! Warrior chosen by the maker as his instrument of divine protection!"

"Mhm..." Abaddon was beginning to feel more than a little bashful.

Buddha, however, seemed to be just getting started. "You are the greatest force of destruction and preservation in every known universe. Too great to know struggle of the mind or-"

"Pfft." Buddha clicked his teeth. "Laying it on a little thick there, aren't you, gramps? Believe me, this bastard doesn't need any bigger of a head than he's already got. Sides, everyone with a brain knows that I am a greater warrior than him."

Abaddon felt his brow twitch. "Please, spare me. I'm not about to participate in such a childish debate as this with you."

"He admits it!" Wukong gloated."That list of nobodies he's faced aren't even worth mentioning. How long has it even been since he's had a full-scale battle anyway?"

Before Abaddon could respond, Buddha rubbed his jaw thoughtfully and hummed aloud.

"Well, I did hear about a bit of unsavory business back in Otherworld with Izanagi...."

"Bah!" Wukong waved his hand dismissively. "Cheap lovers spat with no real stakes or stipulations. Soft! Both of them!"

Abaddon rolled his eyes and pretended he couldn't even hear the two of them.

... Or at least he tried to.

"As if your fight with the bull demon king was any more interesting. I fell asleep six times before you were done."

Wukong stood up. "You lying asshole! I knew you were watching! Why did you always deny it!?"

"Was so boring that it slipped my mind." Abaddon yawned as he helped Odessa cast her line back into the water.

Meanwhile, Wukong was so annoyed that he was about to start shedding.

"Welll..." Buddha rubbed his chin.

"Well, what??" Abaddon raised a brow.

Buddha held up his hands in surrender. "Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just... now that I think about the true testaments of a warrior, I can't help but think that maybe Wukong..." Buddha didn't finish his sentence, but he didn't really have to by that point.

Abaddon's brow twitched uncontrollably.

He had to take a moment to take several deep breaths so that he didn't say or do something unbecoming.

'Don't do it. Don't stoop to that level. You're better than this. It's just another test.'

Abaddon was about to open his mouth to say that he didn't find any part of this charade funny when Wukong began obnoxiously sniffing the air.

"Smell that..? It smells like bitch out here..!"

"...."

- A Short While Later...

Lisa emerged through a portal in the realm where Abaddon had supposedly gone fishing.

But when she arrived at the body of water, the last thing she expected to find was him engaged in a heated confrontation.

The sound of clashing was apparent in the sky as two great powers collided against each other over and over again.

"Mrs. Lisa! Wonderful to see you!"

Buddha suddenly appeared at Lisa's side with her two children in each arm. "You look lovely as always. What brings you here today?"

Lisa slowly blinked as she held up the kids' diaper bag. "Well, I wasn't sure how long Abaddon was going to be out here with the kids, so I brought their diaper bag... What is going on?"

"Oh, only a bit of psychological work." Buddha smiled innocently. "Your husband is a stubborn nut to crack after all."

"So I've been told..." Lisa glanced up at the sky and the raging battle taking place above her head.

Aside from looking handsome, her husband seemed to be really putting a lot of effort into this fight, but he was also wearing that uncomfortable expression he wore whenever he was thinking about something really hard.

Or trying not to…

"Should I… be concerned?"

"Oh, no, no, no." Buddha shook his head. "I don't believe your husband would be so far in his own head as to kill Wukong. And even if he does… It's a good thing he's got those extra layers of immortality lying around, eh?" Buddha chuckled.

Lisa smiled wryly at his morbid joke. "Well, yes, but… I guess I just don't understand how this is supposed to help my husband psychologically."

"Ah, yes, yes." Buddha nodded as the beach underneath them rumbled. "I wanted to ask you, how much do you know about your husband's self-image?"