*As silly as it sounds, I think you''ve understood what I''m getting at with this conversation...


    - So you want me to destroy your origin?


    *Yes, being a primordial, I have no connections with my predecessors. So I don''t need my origin to be preserved. As long as it''s destroyed, my soul will be preserved, and probably in five centuries I''ll come back to life.


    - Are you sure about that?


    *It''s the best option. If you do that, my physical form will disappear. I think it was already implied that in order for anything to enter or leave this cave, it would be necessary for my life to end... or maybe you realized that some time ago.


    He''s good at reading my thoughts. I''ve already considered relying on this information. Since there''s no way out and everything here has been corrupted, it would certainly be the only way to escape. I was hoping he would guide me, but demanding his life as a condition... that''s too high a price. Of course, he did it for his own protection, which is understandable.


    - But wait... aren''t you a guardian of this place? If you were to die suddenly, what would happen to it?


    *Hmph... Don''t worry about it. They''d probably find my disappearance strange, but things will go on as usual. Being an abyssal dragon, it was even good for them that I remained sealed. Think of the irony: a dragon protecting a beautiful forest, with a corrosive and destructive power for everyone around it.


    - ...


    *You still seem unsure about my request.


    - That''s obvious. But aren''t you the one who seems so sure of your decision? Couldn''t you at least tell me the real intention behind this request... especially for someone like me?


    *Hmm... Maybe it''s just intuition, I''d say.


    - Intuition?


    *Even in the face of such a formidable creature, you showed no fear. On the contrary, you showed courage. Anyone would have done what you''re doing, knowing my fame, but you question as much as possible and, it seems, look for the most appropriate and least reckless way to deal with the situation.


    - You got it right once again...


    Whenever we had a meeting at the company, two or more difficult proposals were presented. The responsibility for choosing always fell to me, since I''m a good speaker and have the ability to conduct a business meeting. Even so, so that no one left discouraged by having their ideas rejected, I always tried to reach a consensus, presenting ideas and concepts that both proposals had in common, until I found a solution that everyone accepted.


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    Now, I wonder if killing this being is really the only option...


    - I think you omitted the obvious, knowing it would be pointless... Can''t I just heal it?


    *I''ve already considered your ability with healing sorcery, but as you yourself must know, it would be a wasted effort. If you could barely purify a simple stone, imagine dealing with the source of all this corrosion. It would take you more than a thousand years to do it, as it stands now. It would be like trying to dry an ocean with a rag.


    Of course, I could have considered my own healing power from the start, but it understands my limitation. It would be like trying to melt ice; a futile effort. I don''t even know what my true capacity is. If I had something more powerful, I''d gladly do it right now, but still...


    *Listen, human. We could go on talking for days, but it would all lead to one conclusion: the end of my life would be the only possible way out for both of us... You seem touched by this idea.


    - Well... that''s because I am. You''re the first... let''s say, being I''ve met since I came back to life. You ended up explaining a lot to me. And, as corrosive as your element is, you don''t strike me as a bad dragon. In another situation, I think we could even be... friends, perhaps.


    *Muh! Shut up, you fool! You don''t know anything about my past to pay me such a compliment...


    It seems to have hit him somehow, because he turned his face away. It''s not possible... did that really embarrass him?


    *Hmph... A human being friends with a dragon? I couldn''t have heard more nonsense. That would be complete nonsense.


    - Ehe~~ I''m sorry if I offended you, I''m not going to talk any more nonsense like that.


    *Muh... Well, I mean, I wouldn''t think it bad, you know... to be considered a friend. It''s been 400 years since I''ve talked to anyone, so it''s a bit lonely... BUT OF COURSE! That would only be on your part, not that I''m going to call you a friend or anything.


    Is he shy? Or just confused? What kind of tsundere behavior is that?


    - Well, then I''ll consider him a friend...


    *I mean... I gladly accept your friendship. Feel privileged to have such a bond with a primordial...


    - Well, that''s settled then... Still, that makes it all the more difficult... Are you sure this is what you really want?


    *Yes... Leave this triviality aside for a moment. Although you touched me, my death is the only way to get rid of my wounds and my self-destruction.


    Damn... even that wasn''t enough to convince him. He seems like a decent guy. You know, as much as he''s a dragon... But to say that a human being could be friends with such a majestic creature would be foolish, wouldn''t it? Still, he doesn''t strike me as a bad guy. Whatever he''s done in the past, at least he hasn''t caused me any harm or repudiation.


    *I''ll undo my barrier just in case. After you destroy my origin, this whole cave will be purified. That way, there will be no danger of you being attacked by a monster corrupted by my miasma, nor will you be poisoned by something even more dangerous. An exit will be revealed to you, and this cave will be exposed once again.


    - I see...


    *Come closer...


    When he asked me to, I walked forward a little, taking care not to bump into the barrier. To my surprise, it was no longer there. Even the reflected part had disappeared, so I slowly walked towards it. As I walked, he stood up and just sat there in front of me on two legs. He really is huge.


    *Hmm... HM!


    He closed his eyes for a few seconds and, for a moment, a bright aura enveloped his entire body. The light was concentrated in a medium-sized sphere, about my size. It was radiant and an intense purple color, similar to the corrosion in the cave.


    *Witness, the origin of a primordial.


    - It''s... bright.