I Only Tame Dragons

Chapter 150 A Debt in Blood

Nyx crossed his arms, his expression skeptical but intrigued. "Fine. Just don't get yourself poisoned. I'm not dragging your body back if you keel over from snake venom."

With that subtle warning, Horizon pulled out a sharp blade from his belt and began his work. He focused on the areas he knew would yield the most valuable materials—scales, venom glands, and fangs. Enjoy new chapters from empire

The serpent's scales were dark and glossy, tough enough to withstand the tiger's initial attacks. Carefully, he pried one loose, noting its weight and durability.

"Armor-grade scales," Horizon muttered under his breath, slipping a few into his pouch. "Could sell for a fortune or be used for reinforcement. Might even come in handy for crafting."

Next, he turned his attention to the fangs. Each was the size of a small dagger, razor-sharp and dripping with venom. He hesitated, knowing how dangerous the substance could be. With a steady hand, he used his blade to sever the fang at its base, taking care to avoid any direct contact with the venom. Once detached, he wrapped the fang tightly in a strip of cloth before placing it in a separate pouch.

"This venom is no joke," Horizon said, glancing at the faint smoke rising from where drops of the serpent's venom had splattered on the ground. "But if we can refine it properly, it could be turned into a weapon. Coating arrows or blades with this stuff would give us a serious edge."

Nyx, now standing guard a few paces away, let out a low whistle. "Good that you're beginning to be like me. Keep up the good work."

"It would be easier if you just help me here."

"I don't want to ruin my fur."

"You don't have a fur."

"You can do it yourself. How will you learn if you always depend on me?"

Ignoring the remark, Horizon moved on to the final target—the serpent's venom gland. This was trickier. One wrong move, and he risked puncturing it, releasing a flood of toxic fluid. He worked slowly, methodically cutting around the gland until he was able to lift it free without spilling a drop.

"Got it." Horizon secured the gland in a reinforced container he had crafted for just such occasions. He could already imagine the possibilities—a deadly poison or a potent antidote, depending on how it was processed.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he stepped back, satisfied with his haul. "That should do it. Let's go before something else shows up to claim the carcass."

Nyx, standing beside him with a sharp grin, folded her skeletal arms across her chest. Her gleaming eyes held a playful yet calculating glint. "See? I knew you had guts, but you missed something important."

Horizon looked up, confused. "And what's that?"

"Beasts like this usually have something valuable—a soul stone or something similar," Nyx explained, her voice taking on a mischievous edge. "And trust me, it's worth a fortune."

Horizon's interest piqued instantly. "How valuable are we talking?"

Nyx chuckled, leaning closer, her grin widening. "Let's just say it's the core material for crafting artifacts. High-tier ones."

Horizon's eyes gleamed with newfound greed, and he instinctively clenched his fists. The thought of obtaining something that rare made his pulse quicken. "How do I get it?"

Horizon knelt by the serpent's massive corpse, running a hand along its dark, gleaming scales. The beast's body was still radiating a faint heat from the violent battle moments ago, and its venom continued to sizzle as it dripped onto the charred ground. Despite the danger it posed, the potential reward of harvesting something valuable outweighed Horizon's hesitation.

"Ah . . ." Nyx's expression turned amused. "That's the tricky part. You can't just hack away at it. Soul stones are fragile—they can shatter if you're not careful. Worse, they're not in the same place for every creature. Even I don't know exactly where this one's located."

Horizon's excitement dimmed slightly. He frowned, crossing his arms in frustration. "So it's impossible, huh? I can't just blindly cut into it. If I hit the soul stone by mistake, it's over."

Nyx's grin never wavered. In fact, it grew wider. "Impossible for you? Sure. But . . ." She gave a dramatic pause, her voice dripping with mock superiority. "If I were to retrieve it, things would be different."

Horizon raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You can do that? The venom alone would eat through armor."

Nyx flicked a hand dismissively. "Piece of cake. I'm all bone, remember? A bit of inferior poison from this oversized snake won't melt the great me."

"So . . . you'll do it?" Horizon asked, hopeful.

Nyx's eyes gleamed like a cat toying with its prey. She leaned in, lowering her voice to a teasing whisper. "And what do I get in return?"

Horizon's expression froze. "Huh?"

Nyx laughed, the sound echoing in the eerie silence of the forest. "Oh, come on. You don't expect the great Nyx to waltz into this disgusting creature's guts without some form of compensation, do you? I'm not your pet, Horizon. I'm your master."

Horizon's lips pressed into a tight line, irritation flashing across his face. "Fine. What do you want?"

Nyx tapped a finger on her bony chin, pretending to think hard. "Hmm . . . nothing specific for now. But I'll add this to your debt."

"Seriously?" Horizon sighed. "Can't you just do it because we're friends?"

"Nope," Nyx replied bluntly, crossing her arms again. "Friendship doesn't pay debts, and it sure doesn't make soul stones magically appear."

Horizon wanted to argue but bit his tongue. He needed the soul stone, and he knew Nyx well enough by now—there was no point in pushing her. Instead, he muttered under his breath, "Fine. You're a great master, the best, whatever you want to hear. Just . . . get it done."

Nyx's grin turned smug as she strutted toward the serpent, pausing just before its massive head. "Now, that's more like it. You should be grateful—few get to witness their master doing something this extraordinary for their servant."

With exaggerated disgust, she stuck out her bony tongue. "Ugh, this thing smells worse up close. Be glad I'm doing this for you. You owe me, big time."