I Alone Breed Dragons

Chapter 18: Teaching An Abusive Husband A Lesson

As the door shut behind Madel, it was followed by her husband’s raised voice. I couldn’t hear Madel speaking. I stormed to the door and kicked it open, catching her husband in the act, his fist raised. Madel was cornered, her body tensed up as she braced for the blow.

They both froze, facing the door. Her husband was visibly pissed. While, Madel. A tear streaked down her face.

Her husband then lowered his fist. "What are you doing here? Get out of my house." ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"Who gave you the right to glare at me? Just how much of a coward are you, beating up a harmless woman."

I walked up to him with calm steps, bearing down on him with the intense flare of my mana.

"So what, she’s my wife."

"Really. That’s your excuse. That just pisses me off even more." I didn’t speak further. I lunged at him, smashing my fist to his ugly face. His head snapped back, his footing staggered.

"My husband," Madel tried to step forward, but I met her with my intense stare. She stayed in place.

"Don’t get in my way," I said. Her body trembled, unable to move. She dropped, bottom to the ground.

Madel’s husband held his jaw as blood trickled from his lip — though I don’t think he deserved the title of her husband. His eyes burned with rage. Useless.

"You bastard," he roared. Then launched a barbed vine at me. I just swatted it away.

[Adapt: Vine Magic (E Rank)]

[-70% Damage Reduction]

It was rather funny. I had expected something more threatening from him. E rank. I adapted to his magic more than halfway because of how weak it was. I looked at my palm, which had made impact with the vine — not more than scratches.

"You’re weak. Too weak."

Madel’s husband was stuck in shock. His magic had no effect on me. He slowly backed up, and I cornered him, just the way he did to Madel. Eventually his back hit the wall, with nowhere further to escape to.

I blocked his only way. Despite being insignificant before me, he still held that anger in his eyes. A coward dog. Only knows how to bark.

"Do you want to see what true anger is? I’ll show you." I launched another crushing strike on him. His head bounced off the wall. I struck again, rushing in with blows. While Madel watched, he flapped his wings, desperate to take off to the ceiling. I grabbed his leg and pulled him down, stepped on his wings to keep him in place, continuing my assault.

"Now how does it feel, being the weaker one, huh? Beating up a woman with no chance to fight."

"She’s not weak. She’s — she’s one of the border warriors. She’s trained." He forced out the words between my blows.

I stopped, then looked at Madel. "Is that true?"

She lowered her head. "Yes."

’Hmm. Healing her will open more opportunities.’ But I kept that aside.

"So what are you trying to say — she was trained to be your punching bag?"

He remained speechless.

"Well, guess what? I’ll train you to be my punching bag."

Then I resumed punching till his face was all battered. I released him, stepping away. He was motionless — not dead yet, just unconscious. Some missing teeth, bruises, and a purple eye. His jaw also went slack. Despite the damage, with his face bloodied, I thought he would look uglier. Well, no difference. He was already ugly to the core.

"Are you okay?" I said to the broken soul, seated helpless behind me, while I used her husband’s clothes to wipe his blood from my knuckles.

"Is he... dead?"

"No. Should I kill him?"

"NO! Please... don’t."

"If that’s your wish. Okay."

I then walked up to her, squatting to her eye level. Gently I turned her face to face me, using my thumb to caress the bruise. She hissed when I brushed over a fresh bruise.

"When last did he hit you — and don’t lie to me."

"...Yesterday."

"Before that?"

"Two days ago."

"Did he hit you three days ago?"

She nodded.

"So it’s basically everyday."

"No, it’s—"

"So what if he misses a day or two — he was doing it frequently. I’ll ask you one more question. How long do you plan on staying with this man?"

"I can’t leave him. He’s my husband."

"And you’re not a slave. You have the freedom to leave him if he isn’t treating you right. Did you ever fight back, when your mana core was at its best?"

She shook her head.

I brushed her tear away, lifted her chin to take a good look at her face. Their village hadn’t had a healer yet. The old bruises were drying off naturally, which means he still didn’t allow her to seek help to heal the bruises.

"Madel, I could heal you — if that makes you any better."

"You’re... a healer?"

"Not exactly, but I can do something." I then searched the house till my eye landed on a knife at a counter not far off. "Give me a second." I went to pick up the knife, then returned with it. Madel crawled back.

Wouldn’t blame her. If someone who’s supposed to love her was hurting her, how could she trust a random stranger who suddenly picked up a knife? In fact her eyes were glued particularly on the knife. She traced it up when I lifted it, or down when I lowered it.

"Relax, Madel. I’m not trying to hurt you." I muttered my last words to myself before drawing the sharp blade across my palm, drawing blood.

"What are you doing?"

"Drink." I cupped the crimson in my palm, offering it to her.

"That’s your blood. I’m sorry, I can’t."

"I’m not asking." I then flashed the knife — its blade still caught the light, slipping through the windows.

She complied, and I pressed my hand to her lips, pouring in my blood, with a bit dribbling from the corner of her lips.

After taking it, she wiped her mouth and sat still, returning her vigilance to the knife. So I tossed it aside.

"Do you feel anything?"

She shook her head.

"Guess it would take some time."

If Madel were a human without a mana core yet, she would have awakened 50% of my mana potential. But still, she was a dragon with already a mana core. There wasn’t going to be such a re-awakening — just healing and active fixing of her core. In the best case, she gains a second affinity from me.

Madel gasped, and I snapped out of my thoughts. Her fingers trembled as she pulled them up, gripping her chest. "I can feel it. My mana core — it’s healing." Her mana responded quickly to the process as it recovered back, cloaking her in pure energy, beautifully matching her wings’ color.

Curious, I checked her mana level, and it surprised me, no doubt.

[Mana Scan: Madel (B Rank)]

’She’s capable. Hmm.’

"Oh look, your face is healing back." I flashed her a smile, watching the bruises heal, her skin smoothing up, leaving not a spot darkened.

Without bruises, her beauty emerged sharper.

"You look beautiful."

She choked up, trying hard not to burst out with tears.

"Thank you. What... about your hand?"

I raised my palm up. The cut had already stitched itself. "Don’t worry, it healed up."

The house went silent for a minute. Madel still couldn’t process how possible this was.

And seeing the happiness on her face was heartwarming. With a hundred percent possibility, once I left, out of excitement she would tell the villagers about what I’d done. From there it would spread.

As a border warrior, it would surely reach Quinette first. Or the assassins’ faction — but good news, I could bait them from hiding like cowards.

"Well. I’ll take my leave now. I believe your husband wouldn’t be causing you trouble any time soon. I will come for you later."

"Wait!"

I paused at the door.

"Please, what’s your name?" Madel rushed to me.

"Walter Avant."