When light vanished, same figure descended on the ground. Nothing seem changed for a moment, Natalie's eyes still closed.
But instant they shot open, Her eyes that were crystal blue changed to dazzling amythest. But even then there was no Natalie in them, she was in a trance.
Before Eren's naked eyes, changes started taking place. First her physical appearance that was pristine white, glowed red and this redness seemed to grow prominently.
And with each passing second her expression hardened. Her being gritted teeth but failed to held the pained groan, but torturous changes were rapid and soon she was calm again, her skin again normal, fair.
Natalie's breathing was visible, showing that small instance had strained her greatly.
Eren observed as he felt air around himself change, he didn't take long to figure out that it was mana, Who seemed changed.
Every cultivator, depending on their core realm held certain capabilities to influence external mana, which is closely intertwined with environment.
Ofcourse higher the core realm, more the apparent authority.
And just now those changes took place, Eren smiled with realisation.
Yes, Natalie just had a breakthrough and now she was a green core cultivator.
Simultaneously her vermillion red hair had turned lustrous dark amythest, flowing down her back.
Eren looked at her with profound curiosity and amazement, even with a bit of proud.
Emotions directed to her tranced amythest eyes and for a moment it was empty, which soon showed a presence, A presence that directly stared at eren.
Even eren felt shocked and bit afraid, Up until now he didn't consider her a threat but now, Even darker realisation came.
No matter how noble she seemed but there was always a possibility that she would've out right killed him and make easy walk away, But that wasn't obvious with eren's first impression and his connection with Alena
And now Alena was gone, Natalie's bloodline just awakened with substantial boost in her strength.
Yes, Eren had lost all his usefulness and Natalie had all the reason to kill and hid her shame, question was whether she was truly gentle and kind hearted girl?
Eren was afraid, But even more surprised that such scary situation didn't waver his mind. Sure there was an unsettling feeling in his heart but he wasn't disturbed much.
Hiding all his emotions, Eren smiled as if those negative thoughts had never been there.
Natalie too, remained motionless, atleast for a moment. The next second, She gently flexed her back and with gust of wind and mana, Her back shone with radiance.
Eren blinked with surprise as long and big, thick membranous, Dark violet coloured wings slowly spread out of her back.
Gust of wind pushed Eren's body back, enough to make him understand how powerful those things really were. Enough to generate strong wind pressure from simple flap.
Ofcourse this process of change wasn't yet finished. As her wings spread wide and her expression formed a cheeky smile, Golden protrusion over hear head that seem to grow beamed.
With glowing golden radiance, long protrusion made its way up and above with one arch.
Yes, Natalie held the lineage of dragon and now her Golden horns were evident symbol of it.
On margin of hair, Far to the eyebrows, on her forehead five cm of golden horns protruded laterally transverse upward and with an arch rest of 7cm horns flowed upward with medial transverse.
Horns with only one sharp angle, as if arched line directed straight above.
It was striking and Beautiful, even more as it enhanced Natalie's natural charm. She was cute and gorgeous but now, she looked mature beauty, ofcourse her face still held that teenage beauty.
" You look amazing?" Eren expressed his thoughts with a smile but Natalie had some other things in her mind.
One second she was rummaging her head and next there was evil smile plastered on her face. And immediately eren felt his hair straighten up.
Before he could even fathom.
A massive dark mouth was upon him, Sharp massive teeths and pit of darkness that swallowed all light.
Eren reflexively took a step back with fear, his heart jumped shocked and then the realisation struck.
This big mouth was Natalie, Soon as he focused everywhere around he noticed a giant black figure right before him.
Her dragon form was 5 meter tall, obviously dangerous, as any other creatures but in a sense it was majestic with shine of dark amythest scales and golden horns above.
Dragonic eyes were amythest as well but now with vertical pupil, it expressed ferocity and authority. but again with four limb with sharp claws, Scaled body with similarly scaled long deadly tail and Big Membranous wings forming a dragon body, It was already ferocious enough.
Natalie flaped her wings open and roared, Once Eren knew that there was no real danger, He was calm. He even focused on her dragon body, Like underwings were light shade just like palmer surface of her body.
And obviously she had no genitals on this manifested dragon body, This Form was only meant for mass destruction just like every other forms.
Once the shock was gone, Natalie had no reason to hold this form. Dragon turned etheral with a prominent shadowy figure hovering inside, Natalie opened her eyes and within a second golden etheral dragon vanished inside of her as she descended on grass, Naked.
She obviously had grin on her face as she watched eren with arrogance, But She was surprised seeing eren grinning ear to ear.
She observed his eyes and looked down, to her own Body which stood naked, Her head hazed and chest tightened with shame, she hurriedly covered her voluptuous breasts and reflectively activated another dragonic trait.
Dragon armour, Just like before golden dust covered her whole and vanished.
And now there stood a figure claded in skin tight scaled armour. Scales were dark amythest Which varried in size depending on covering part, like there were two big breast plates while abdomen had multiple small scales that looked similar to abs.
Scales were dark amythest with luster and inbetween each crevice, fissure and joints shined a light purple glow. Those purple line weren't everywhere, Just enough that it looked as though there were intricate net of light tattooed over armour.
Those violet lines defined the dragon armour marvelously. Especially when armour as whole covered everything, even her head where two transparent scales protected her eyes and offered neat clear vision.
Despite how closely attached that armour looked, Tight enough that it showed firm posture of human body and even facial structure- It provided uncanny flexibility.
And ofcourse we can't forgot her symbolic trait, Her golden horns shone ever so brightly above her head with valor.
She really looked a Figure of war, Dangerous and marvelous.
" I don't want to be punched again?" Eren wasn't joking, Her strength was already enough to send him flying away when she was a yellow realm cultivator and now she waa one step above.
Getting punched in gut was not the best feeling anyway.
" I don't have any clothes, can you spare me some? Her voice embarassed and hands still covering her armoured breasts.
Eren shook his head and spoke,
" Alena took All her clothes but I can lend you mine, If you don't mind?" Natalie nodded, afterall there was no choice in the matter.
Maintaining this dragon armour consumed mana, Dragon transformation costed even more. Innate or acquired abilities, afterall required mana to function.
Eren brought a set of clothes out of his space ring and handed it over, Natalie snatched it and hurriedly wore the set over her armour.
A loose shirt, Pant and full length robe covered and tightened around waist. After checking twice that it was neatly worm , she released her armour which vanished just like how it had manifested.
Eren's clothes did seem unfit here and there but she had no choice,
" Congratulations."
" Thanks, I guess." Natalie was too awkward. Afterall despite this being a joyous situation, she was embarrassed by the process and Eren's importance in that which helped her.
" You should rest." Eren walked other way instead of the mansion.
" Where are you going?"
" oh, to clean myself." Eren didn't stop, Instead looked back. Natalie was flustered.
" Hold on, I'm coming as well." They both made their way to waterfall.
Eren wasn't reluctant, Removed every piece of cloth he wore and jumped on cold water.
His action surprised Natalie, even more when he began to wash his clothes.
He handled those clothes smoothly, as if those were some piece of jewellery but living four year doing this, he had enough practice of sort.
Clothes weren't damaged, Especially weren't ripped due to his controlled strength and were cleaned thoroughly.
He finished cleaning everything and walked out of river, To the makeshift hanger where he hanged his wring out clothes and again jumped in river.
Natalie just stood there, Somewhat confused, Embarrassed and awkward. She wanted to ask something but remained silent, as she clutched her fingers and followed his example.
She removed her clothes, hanged it aside and took a step in cold river. She felt water cold, But refreshing and soon her body was submerged.
" Don't slip and fall, there are nasty slippery stone down there." Eren avoided facing her, he surely wanted to rebuke that there was no point hiding after everything done so far but he also knew to never question other's choices, Especially if that choice didn't effect him. Sure there were exception, Relatives, lovers, family and such. There choice did leave an effect, even if it wasn't apparent.
Luckily or unluckily, Eren had no such boundaries.
" You seem experienced." Natalie chuckled with humour, even eren felt annoyed how accurately she had guessed it but That was okay.
It meant There were no qualms between them and everything was smooth, so far.
" Yeah, It was worth dying experience. Wanna know why?" He asked with a grin.
" Why?"
" Because I didn't knew how to swim, I was dying."
" Hahaha...
Natalie laughed hard, as if she heard a joke in long while.
" Well that wasn't even the worst part, To teach me how to swim, Alena just threw me in the river and said" Eren tried mimicking Alena's calm sexy voice and spoke," You can learn by falling."
" fuahnh...Haha.."
" Can you believe the audacity?, I was really falling just like she said, Into the depth of death." Eren felt annoyingly nostalgic, Remembering those times made him angry and happy at the same time.
Natalie had hard time controlling ber laugh, her low pitched laugh resounded in forest like a melody. A melody that was soon veiled by heavy waterfall.
" So what happened next?" Natalie held her stomach and asked, controlling the urge to laugh.
" I drowned for whole month. Drowning and experimenting with death and one day, I succeeded.
Well atleast I wasn't drowning, so she taught me how to swim efficiently." Eren smiled gently, As if thousands butterflies were flying in his stomach.
And naturally his smile evoked same feelings in Natalie, Beautiful and tender remembrance.
" It's not a competition but I had it worse." Natalie's face darkened with mirthless laugh.
" Oh yeah, I always appreciate the fellow sufferer so Please do tell." Eren admired and encouraged her.
" From the age of ten, I was forced to train in combat, free hand and melee.
And instructor, Frankly she was a bitch.
She hit me every chance she got, nagged and complained all the time.
It was hell." Natalie took a big sigh, feeling that those memories were finally behind her.
" Sure it was." Eren wasn't competing, His life till now wasn't smooth surfing either. It was arduous and torturous.
He had to endure Alena's antiques, He had stumbled on each step literally and figuratively, he had endured torture of mana infusion for years but he had never referred those experience hellish.
Frankly he didn't believe in hell, Everything was here, hell and heaven.
Losing yuta, aunt sera and Nina was hell, And Meeting Alena was heaven. Luck and badluck is two side of the same coin.
At the end everything is just what we feel.
" Eren...Eren..."
" Ah...yes, Yes, What is it?" Eren woke up from him trance abruptly.
" I was saying, Do you wanna wash your hair with shampoo?" Eren looked at her with strange eyes and asked,
" What's a shampoo?" Natalie shook her head with a sigh, Somehow she expected this.
With a thought, A bottle of shampoo flew out of her ring.
" Held out your hand?" Eren did so as she asked, Natalie squeezed out blue gel of shampoo on it.
" Okay, I should rub it on hair?"
" Yes but make sure to close your eyes." Eren didn't question why and tried it.
" Not so rough, Just easy." Eren was at it when he felt his head being massaged and soft voice came from ahead,
" Like this?"
Eren could smell the flowers, Or the being who smelled fruity and flowery. His body, naturally reacted to the stimulation that soon poked Natalie, She jumped back spooked but couldn't get away.
Eren's instincts held his every action, his hands were already wrapped around her which softly slid down her smooth skin.
somehow it felt even smoother, maybe it was water or it was just shampoo's texture.
" Could I request a kiss from my lady?" Eren's eyes were closed yet his lips were curved in beautiful smile.
Natalie didn't resist. her face slowly neared his, close enough that both could perceive each other's shallow breath.
Eren loosened his grip, Ready to accept the juicy softness with opened arms. Each second felt like hours but he felt it, The soft winds blowing on his lips getting closer.
he opened his eyes, gazing at the amythest glow and next second, He was shoved whole in river with force
" You scoundrel, Hahaha.."
With that all his fantasies and shampoo was washed away.
" Your trick won't work on me, I know once I'm locked in that kiss there is no way to stop situation from escalating.
So stop trying" Natalie laughed, But also held fear that she was too engaged just now.
' Anymore of that and We..'Just thinking about that left her flustered.
Eren coughed out water and cleaned his eyes, breathing air which felt burning with water in his respiratory system.
" I learned my lesson." Eren said with a laugh, Laugh at his failure.
Eren was logical,he knew to not act out character but this new experience surely rattled his nerves. He knew to accept his emotions and also knew to control in need, yet here he was acting purely on instinct, Instincts that came from between his legs.
Now he learned, that's just how one became addicted but luckily he was shot much earlier before that addiction could take root.
He really learned a lesson. Control over emotions was necessary, especially over seven deadly sins.
" And what's that?" Natalie asked with a laugh, she thought of it as just another joke.
" Never let anyone or anything have control over you, That's fatal." Eren smiled, Washing one last time before he walked out and headed to his room, Dressing with clothes that he summoned from ring.
Natalie was left speechless, She felt sincerity in his words and playfulness in his eyes.
' What was that all about?' But as fast as that question rose, just as fast It was gone and now she only cared for undisturbed sleep.
She couldn't care less wether there was a bed or not. she just wanted to lay tired, Partially that exhaustion came from awakening and rest from to making that awakening possible but she didn't give a shit about that.
She dressed herself and walked back, she soon found her soft bed and laid without any worries of the world.
She thought about how dangerous it was about to become, But sweetness of sleep felt more appealing than fatal threat and soon her consciousness was drifting in dreamrealm.