First Legendary Dragon: Starting With The Limitless System
Chapter 203: Asteraxa

Chapter 203: Asteraxa

Orion, curious and unflinching, remained rooted to his spot, calmly meeting her enticing gaze.

Her figure drew closer, exuding a warmth laced with danger, her draconic presence softly overwhelming.

As she reached him, Orion felt her breath, faintly warm, brushing against his ear as she whispered with seductiveness, "The conditions you proposed... I accept them. Will you?"

Before Orion could reply, Lumi abruptly screamed in his mind, panicked and indignant,

[W-What are you doing, you dragon-cow!? Back off from Master right this instant! (,,#ﾟДﾟ)]

The woman’s lush lips curled into a playful smile, clearly amused by Lumi’s outburst. Ignoring Lumi’s protests, she patiently awaited Orion’s response, their faces mere inches apart.

Orion paused for a moment, carefully considering her words. Feeling no malice, he finally nodded slightly and calmly replied, "I accept."

Immediately, her eyes flashed with scarlet. Without warning, her plump lips gently pressed against the sensitive skin of his neck, and Orion sharply inhaled as her sharp, delicate draconic teeth pierced softly, drawing a tiny bead of blood.

His body briefly tensed from the surprising sensation before she swiftly withdrew, a faint crimson smear staining her alluring lips.

She stepped back, leisurely wiping her lips with the back of her slender hand. Her gaze locked onto Orion with satisfaction as she declared confidently, "A Blood Contract has now bound us. From this moment forward, you can freely use me—" her voice dipped seductively, emphasizing the word suggestively, "for absolutely anything."

Lumi screamed again,

[A-Anything!? You cow, don’t get carried away! Master isn’t that kind of man! (╬ Ò﹏Ó)]

The dragon-woman laughed lightly, utterly delighted by Lumi’s overprotective reactions. Orion, however, maintained his calm demeanor, raising an eyebrow inquisitively, his lips twitching slightly, "Is there a catch?"

Her eyes softened into amused caution. "Indeed. Although the contract grants you complete authority, you are far too weak right now to handle my current weakened power. Trying to wield me prematurely would drain your mana dry and leave you nothing but skin and bones."

Orion thoughtfully nodded, glancing briefly toward Lumi for confirmation.

Lumi reluctantly sighed, confirming, [Unfortunately, she’s right, Master. This sword-cow’s power is too immense for your current mana capacity. It’s too dangerous for you to wield her fully yet. ╭( ･ㅂ･)و]

He accepted Lumi’s confirmation, nodding, "Fair enough. Then I’ll wait until I grow stronger. In the meantime, do you recall anything else from your past—perhaps a name?"

The woman’s playful demeanor faltered momentarily, her gaze distant and contemplative. After a quiet moment, she shook her head softly, a bittersweet smile appearing.

"As I said, my memories remain fragmented. My name... I no longer recall. Since you awakened me and seem clueless about my original identity, I suppose it’s fitting I give myself a new one." Her lips curled teasingly again, but there was genuine sincerity in her eyes.

After a momentary pause, she confidently declared, "I will name myself ’Asteraxa.’ Remember it well, Orion, as we are now bound by blood."

Orion smiled lightly, acknowledging her name. "Then, Asteraxa, I look forward to our partnership. Now, if you don’t mind, what do you mean by your weakened state? Are you not at full power? And how weak currently?"

Her eyes twitched at the stream of questions. "Wait, wait, one question at a time." Lightly shaking her head, she continued, "Far too long has passed and a lot of runes have lost their power. Even my draconic soul is nothing but a mere fragment of its past self." She paused, looking at Orion’s body while licking her lips. "However, your blood and mana should be able to nourish me."

Orion nodded his head, not minding this little bit of expenditure after forming the blood contract. "And how strong are you?"

Her lips formed a smirk. "I’m above the Ninth Tier for you. You should become stronger first before gauging my current strength."

Orion tiredly sighed and decided to exit the Sea of Consciousness. "Alright then, I will see you later when I’m stronger. For now, you should rest as well."

Asteraxa smiled lightly, "I have been resting for eons already, but very well, a few more centuries is nothing much."

Orion’s consciousness slowly withdrew from his Sea of Consciousness, the vibrant azure landscape and Asteraxa’s alluring figure gradually fading as he returned to the outside world.

His eyes fluttered open gently, revealing his familiar, softly illuminated room. The gentle glow of moonlight cascaded through the curtains, casting subtle shadows around him.

He rose slowly from his seated meditation position at the room’s center, exhaling a soft breath of relief and fatigue.

Orion lightly stretched, easing the stiffness from his limbs after hours of intense mental exertion. Quietly, he moved toward his spacious bed, its soft, inviting comfort instantly relaxing him as he lay down.

[Master, are you feeling alright after forming the contract with that sword-cow? (・–・;)ゞ]

Orion chuckled lightly at Lumi’s ongoing rivalry, settling comfortably against his pillows. ’Yes, Lumi. I’m perfectly fine. If anything, the contract feels surprisingly stable. Besides, having her power by our side will undoubtedly help us in the future.’

Lumi sighed exaggeratedly, clearly still a little reluctant about their new companion, but ultimately nodded in acceptance.

[If you say so, Master. But Lumi will still watch her carefully! (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑]

Orion’s smile lingered warmly as he continued chatting casually with Lumi, their conversations meandering through the various spells he had learned and his plans for the coming days.

Gradually, his voice softened, words slowing as fatigue gently pulled him toward restful sleep. Soon enough, Orion’s eyes drifted closed completely, breathing steady and even as peaceful slumber finally claimed him.

***

The next morning, Orion was abruptly stirred from deep sleep by gentle yet insistent knocking on his door.

He groaned softly, slowly opening his eyes and glancing toward the softly illuminated window—sunlight was already streaming cheerfully through the curtains.

[Master! Why did you sleep till so late? This isn’t like you at all! Σ(･口･)]

Orion shook his head lightly, blinking away sleepiness as he sat upright in bed. ’Honestly, Lumi, I don’t know. Perhaps the mental strain from forming that Affinity Rune and the contract with Asteraxa took more out of me than expected.’

Lumi paused thoughtfully, humming quietly as she considered his words, before finally offering a suggestion.

[Hmm... Could it also be because your evolution is drawing closer? Your body might naturally demand more rest during this critical phase!]

Orion’s eyes narrowed slightly in contemplation, slowly nodding in agreement. ’That’s a reasonable assumption. Well, we’ll find out soon enough.’

Another gentle knock came from the door, followed by a soft, concerned voice. "Master Orion? Are you awake?"

Recognizing Rina’s worried tone, Orion swiftly called back reassuringly, "Yes, Rina, Fiora, I’m awake now. Just give me a moment."

He quickly rose from the bed, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he headed toward the washroom.

Freshening up quickly, he returned feeling much more fresh, finally opening the door to reveal the two maids waiting patiently with gentle smiles.

"Good morning, Master!" Rina greeted cheerfully, her bubbly energy immediately brightening Orion’s mood.

Fiora shyly echoed the greeting, her soft voice filled with quiet warmth. "G-good morning, Master."

Orion smiled gently, nodding at both of them. "Good morning, you two. Sorry to have kept you waiting."

Rina shook her head energetically, her cheerful demeanor never wavering. "No need for apologies, Master! We were just a bit worried since you don’t usually sleep this late."

The two girls swiftly guided Orion through his morning routine, efficiently bathing him and carefully dressing him in his usual attire.