Miss Dragon, the BOSS, will not be captured.

Chu Xing nodded heavily to Yunia.

Chapter 191, page 179: Heroic Spirits Unwilling to Leave (4K Long Chapter)

Estella did not pursue the fleeing attackers, as that would be a loss for her. In any case, driving away the First Star and saving the King and Queen was enough to make Anstella grateful to tears.

But before returning to the Netherworld Dragon Abyss, Esther had another matter to attend to—the fate of the Heroic Spirits.

Although it is unknown what method Chuxing used to awaken the Heroic Spirits, these people who have already died are not suitable to remain in the mortal world. Therefore, Esther very "kindly" asked if she needed help sending them on their way.

These kings' spirits inherited memories of their past lives, but they had little attachment to this world. After all, their loved ones had all passed away, and as spirits, they were very lonely in this world, so they preferred to return to the afterlife.

"That was close, I almost became that devil's tool."

A king lamented that for these heroic spirits, whoever summoned them was their master, and if they were ordered to do evil, they could not resist.

They chattered about the first star, and then the topic quickly shifted to the governance and history of the country. Every king wanted to know how the next ruler would govern the country after his death, so their conversation would not end anytime soon.

"Hey, are you guys coming back or not? I'm in a hurry to get home."

“Evil dragon, you may leave now. We will dissipate after we finish our conversation,” said a king’s spirit.

They all disliked Estia, having caused her a lot of trouble in life. However, after death, they were no longer afraid and dared to call Estia a dragon to her face.

"Tch." Estia wanted to leave immediately, but then felt a little annoyed, so she said, "Princess Anstella of the current Fania Kingdom has also been kidnapped by me."

"What!?"

"A little bit."

Estia turned her back, wagged her tail at the King's Heroic Spirits, and prepared to return to the Netherworld Dragon Abyss.

"and many more!"

Just then, Rhodes, who had been deep in thought, called out to Estia. At this moment, his wounds were no longer visible. As expected of a Heroic Spirit, even a fatal wound could be healed quickly.

"doing what?"

"Could you use the sword technique you used before again?"

"what?"

Unexpectedly, Rhodes would make such a request. Esther stared at him in confusion. Could it be that he had taken a liking to her swordsmanship and wanted to learn it?

But what does this mean for the spirits of the fallen heroes?

Seeing that Estia did not respond to him, Rhodes coughed softly and casually pointed to a lucky one among the King's Heroic Spirits, telling him to come and stand in line.

Then he drew his sword and used the same "Wind Strike" technique that Esther had used before.

"You...how could you?"

"This is a sword technique I created myself. Where did you learn it from?"

Rhodes had deeper doubts than Estia, and he also had an uncertain conjecture in his mind.

"Answer me, where did you learn that?"

“…” Estia was silent for a moment, then replied, “I forgot. Time is so long, how could I possibly remember everything that happened?”

"And Estia, what were your childhood experiences like?"

Rhodes's words immediately stirred up Estia's pain, reminding her of how she had spent her childhood.

Of course, they were burdened with a cruel and heavy fate, fleeing for their lives while being pursued by human soldiers, barely surviving through all sorts of hardships.

Estia hates it when people bring up her past. If it's a friend, she might get a little angry, but she and Rhodes are not friends at all.

I remember Rhodes was once an Imperial Knight and even admitted to participating in the defense of the Imperial City. Is he saying these things now to provoke me?

Before his death, Rhodes wanted to know the whereabouts of the dragon girl he had adopted, which became one of his regrets on his deathbed.

He removed his helmet, revealing his face to Esther: "Think again, do you remember me?"

"I told you I don't know you..."

Even as she said that, Estia stared at Rhodes and realized that he looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place him.

Rhodes thought to himself that he was around twenty years old when he adopted that dragon girl, but now, as a heroic spirit, he looked like he was in his thirties. There was actually a difference.

"Wait for me a moment." Rhodes turned and walked into the Hall of Honor.

"What on earth is going on?"

Estia was puzzled, so she stood still, ready to see what Rhodes was up to.

Rhodes approached his own statue in the Hall of Honor and used his sword to shave off the beard on the statue. Then his body began to glow with a yellow light. When the light faded, he appeared to be more than ten years younger.

Now Rhodes' appearance has returned to what he once looked like as the Knight Commander, a handsome and spirited young man. He then walks out of the Hall of Honor and appears before Esther in this guise.

"And now? Do you remember?"

"you……"

Estia felt a sharp pain in her head, as if some distant memory had been unearthed from the depths of her mind. Gradually, she realized that it seemed to be a dream.

No, it's not a dream, it's...

There was a secret that Estella had never told anyone. After she successfully escaped the humans' pursuit and finally had a safe place to hide in for a long time, she began to dream.

In her dream, she wore a human dress, was very young, and had a human "father." She often clamored to play with him, but unfortunately, he was very busy and rarely had the chance to spend time with her.

Later, little Estia ran to where her human father was training and watched him instruct soldiers and practice swordsmanship...

At that time, Estia's hatred for humanity was boundless, so she treated these memories as nightmares. Ever since she began to lie low and prepare for revenge, these memories had frequently haunted her dreams.

However, as her strength increased and she grew older, Esther never dreamed of having a human father again. Over the long years, that experience was forgotten and forgotten until now, after Rhodes repeatedly reminded her.

"No, no, no..."

Estia shook her head frantically, refusing to accept this reality: "I could never be adopted by a human, I don't know who you are... I don't know anything..."

Before she could finish speaking, Estia used the teleportation array to leave the Fania Royal Palace, leaving Rhodes standing there in a daze.

Judging from Estia's reaction and words just now, she is very likely the little dragon girl that I saved back then.

Although they only spent three years together, Rod genuinely treated the little girl like his own child.

"Uh... Your Majesty?"

One of the King's Heroic Spirits approached, curious about the conversation between Rhodes and Estia, while the other King's Heroic Spirits stood at a distance, listening intently.

They were all kings, but the other kings willingly addressed the first emperor as His Majesty.

"Don't ask, there's nothing to be curious about."

Rhodes recalled his past life training in the cold winds of the North. After adopting a little dragon girl, he took her to the North, where the girl lived with him for three years.

The North is covered in ice and snow all year round, so people have to wear thick clothes and warm hats. The dragon girl's horns and tail were very small, so she could hide in the large, thick winter clothes and was not discovered for three years.

To protect the little girl, Rod kept the news under wraps and ensured that everyone who knew was trustworthy, and three years passed peacefully.

The traces of magic left after the teleportation array disappeared had not yet dissipated. Rhode glanced at the moonlight outside the window and sighed. If Estia was indeed the dragon girl he had adopted, then fate really liked to play tricks on people.

The kings and their spirits behind him all wanted to return to the afterlife, but Rhodes hesitated. He showed a desire to live because he needed to figure out his doubts before he would be willing to die.

He once died regretfully due to his limited lifespan, but now, due to an accident, he has been given a new "life." Although he exists as a heroic spirit, he has consciousness and power, and can continue to complete what he was unable to do before.

Upon learning of his desire to remain in the world, the other kings' spirits did not have many questions. Instead, they voluntarily transferred their spiritual power to Rhodes, so that Rhodes could exist in the world for longer.

Rhodes once regretted not being able to protect the little dragon girl, causing her to lose her "family" again.

He rescued a little girl from beside a dragon that had died on the battlefield. Perhaps that dragon was the little girl's mother? The truth is now unclear. Rhode only wants to find out if Esther is the dragon girl he rescued. This matter is of utmost importance.

If his guess is correct, then the dragon girl has survived to this day and successfully avenged her family. Putting aside his human perspective, he would feel gratified for the dragon girl.

Rhodes was well aware of the harm his actions had indirectly caused to humanity, so he relinquished his title of knight. He no longer considered himself a noble person; at this moment, he was selfish, but willingly so.

If the little girl from back then has new family and friends and lives a happy life, then her only regret in this world can be eliminated, and she can return to where she belongs in peace.

-------------------------------------

A rescue operation is underway within the Netherworld Dragon Abyss. The king, queen, and guards, who were teleported by Esther, are on the verge of death due to their life force being drained. Most monsters cannot heal them, so only the witch Puff can provide assistance.

Meanwhile, the witch Lysty, who had recently joined the Netherworld Dragon Abyss, also came to help. The two witches were best at concocting potions, and after they gave the humans the potent life-saving potion, they happily announced that they had saved their lives, but that was all.

"Thank you so much! I...I..."

Anstella had never lost her composure like this before. In fact, after asking Estella for help, she watched Estella leave and then hid away, crying her heart out.

Before Esther sent her parents to the Abyss of the Netherworld, Anstella was already convinced that her parents were dead. But unexpectedly, hope arrived at her most desperate moment.

Thinking of the laws of the Kingdom of Fania, which stipulate that witches are executed immediately upon capture, Anstilla felt her cheeks burning.

“Don’t be too happy yet,” Miss Puff sighed, shaking her head. “I just kept their hearts from stopping, but unfortunately, they may never wake up.”

"W-what!?"

"Human souls are far too fragile. The opponent used a soul attack, shattering their fragile souls. Coupled with the absorption of so much life force, they are truly..."

"What should we do? Is there any way to save them?!"

“A necromancer who is proficient in souls and death should have a way, but there isn’t one in the Netherworld Dragon Abyss.”

Because Estia disliked the undead, she had not recruited a necromancer as her subordinate for thousands of years.

Anstila stamped her feet anxiously. There were no necromancers even in the Netherworld Dragon Abyss, let alone in the Kingdom of Fania. No, even on the entire continent, it would be difficult to find necromancers!

Rewind to the day before, Anstella could never have imagined that she would one day ask for help from monsters, witches, or even those who study evil magic.

"Could it be that they..."

"They won't die, their hearts just won't stop, but they won't wake up."

"Gurgle..."

“However, there is actually a simpler way to wake them up,” Miss Puff suddenly said.

"Could you please stop breathing so heavily when you speak?"

Anstella nearly had a heart attack. She asked, "What method?"

"Making these humans drink the blood of monsters will not only strengthen their bodies, but also their souls."

"That would actually mean... an impure soul, wouldn't it?"