Translator: AnubisTL
Garos circled at an altitude of one kilometer, his dragon eyes locked onto the Rock-Crushing Worm below.
Through the Life Level Detection Technique, Garos confirmed that the Rock-Crushing Worm was a Level 7 lifeform, the same as his own current level.
The Life Level Detection Technique was a Quasi-Spell Skill he had awakened a year ago.
Dragonkind were top-tier magical creatures and innate sorcerers, naturally mastering many bloodline-derived sorceries as they matured.
Unlike true spells, these Quasi-Spell Skills were weaker in power and effect but could be cast instantly.
The Life Level Detection Technique was one such skill.
Normally, young dragons hadn't yet reached the age to awaken and master Quasi-Spell Skills.
However, Garos's accelerated growth through adaptive evolution had not only enhanced his physique but also allowed him to master several Quasi-Spell Skills ahead of schedule.
"Its level matches mine. I should be able to take it down safely."
Life level was merely a reference; many creatures could fight above their weight class, with dragonkind being the foremost among them. Ever cautious and steady, Garos temporarily set aside thoughts of challenging higher-level prey, focusing instead on the same-level Rock-Crushing Worm as his target.
Garos suppressed his draconic aura, his wings beating with minimal effort as he gradually descended toward his target from above.
Rock-Crushing Worms sense the location of living creatures through vibrations.
As a breeze swept past, the Rock-Crushing Worm, basking in the sun, suddenly raised its head alertly, its two bean-sized, nearly invisible eyes blinking.
In the Sierre Wilderness, powerful ferocious beasts and demonic beasts lurked everywhere, alongside hunting parties formed by intelligent creature clans.
Hunting and being hunted were the eternal, unchanging rhythm of this land.
Though the Rock-Crushing Worm was a formidable hunter, it by no means guaranteed it would never become prey.
One hundred meters in the air.
The moment Garos, the young dragon, noticed the Rock-Crushing Worm's unusual reaction, he narrowed his eyes. His wingspan, exceeding twelve meters, suddenly unfurled, beating the air with ferocious intensity.
The young dragon transformed into a meteor of black and crimson, its wingtips slicing through the air as it plummeted, nearly sparking.
By the time the Rock-Crushing Worm reacted, the dragon's shadow had already fallen upon its body.
Showing no sign of slowing, Garos crashed down with overwhelming force, using his own body as a weapon to smash into the Rock-Crushing Worm.
The moment the iron-hard carapace of the worm met the dragon's body, the massive impact shattered the black shell like an eggshell. The flesh beneath was instantly crushed into a bloody paste.
Boom! With an earth-shattering roar, like an earthquake, the rock slab shattered into countless fragments, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The Rock-Crushing Worm, a ferocious beast that was formidable even among Level 7 lifeforms, had been struck from the sky by the young dragon. Its body had been split in two.
Garos, however, had barely felt the impact of the fall, as some of his cushion scales had detached to absorb the force.
Wail!
In agony, the Rock-Crushing Worm let out a roar like a gale howling through a canyon.
Despite its mortal wound, the insectoid creature refused to die. Instead, it erupted with a surge of strength, like a dying flame's final flicker. Its upper body thrashed wildly, flinging the young dragon toward a sharp rock spire.
The rock spire failed to pierce the dragon's scales, instead being crushed to dust.
The cushion scales on Garos's back instantly absorbed the impact and generated a powerful counterforce.
Garos shot toward the Rock-Crushing Worm again, even faster this time.
The creature, now desperate, gnawed at the ground with its rotating mandibles, its lower half already burrowing into the earth.
Even with only its upper half exposed, the Rock-Crushing Worm's regenerative abilities would allow it to gradually restore its body.
Sensing the vibration of the dragon's body rushing through the air, the creature's exposed carapace suddenly swelled, and superheated, high-pressure steam erupted from its seams.
A pungent sulfurous smell filled Garos' nostrils.
This steam, carrying both fire and water-type damage, was the Rock-Crushing Worm's life-saving Quasi-Spell Skill, and it was quite powerful.
Garos closed his eyes and charged forward, his formidable physique allowing him to power through the billowing steam. He tore through the worm's armored shell with another swipe of his claw, sinking it deep into the creature's flesh.
Whoosh!
With a powerful flap of his dragon wings, he lifted into the air, completely yanking the Rock-Crushing Worm's upper body from the ground. He then swung the creature's body in a wide arc, smashing it against the surrounding rocks repeatedly.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The impacts continued for several seconds.
A sweep of his dragon wings dispersed the dust.
Garos released his claws. The Rock-Crushing Worm lay lifeless, its shell shattered and its flesh a mangled, gruesome mess.
"I might have been too rough."
"A Rock-Crushing Worm of the same level seems completely unable to resist my strength."
Garos clenched and unclenched his dragon claws, feeling the rapidly fading pain in his body as he thought to himself.
The Rock-Crushing Worm's final blast of superheated steam had dealt fire damage that Garos was largely immune to. As for the water damage, which should have troubled him, his targeted training had made it negligible.
"My efforts to overcome my aversion to training in water have been effective."
"While I can't precisely measure it, my resistance to water-type damage has definitely improved."
Turning his gaze to the insect corpse, Garos strode forward. With his claws, he peeled back the chitinous shell, revealing the flesh within.
Contrary to its monstrous appearance, the Rock-Crushing Worm's meat was tender and pale, looking quite appetizing. The texture and flavor were exceptional—cool, smooth, and delicately sweet, like vanilla ice cream.
After finishing his hard-won meal, Garos swept his gaze across the abandoned mine.
The area was rugged, with the mine surrounded by a ring of steep, treacherous rock formations. Inside, the ground was uneven, riddled with collapsed tunnels and abandoned mine shafts.
Spreading his wings, the young dragon descended to the mine floor.
Garos closed his eyes, quietly sensing the earth beneath him. Soon, he detected a faint pull.
"There are still some residual mineral veins here."
He mused to himself.
Abandoned mining sites like this were common in the Sierre Wilderness, but few were completely depleted; most retained some mineral veins.
Glancing at the surrounding mine shafts, Garos considered that this might be a suitable lair.
Not far from the abandoned mine lay a patch of woodland with a lake. The area was also populated by a number of creatures similar to gray hyenas.
Water, prey, and mineral resources—these were the essential elements for a good place.
"After I leave the iron dragon maid, I could claim this area as my dragon nest and then make other plans," Garos thought.
Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly.
Garos's eyes narrowed. With a flap of his wings, he shot into the sky and vanished from his spot.
Boom!
The rock beneath him shattered like glass. A massive black shadow erupted from the earth, rocketing hundreds of meters into the air before plummeting back down.
His tense nerves relaxed slightly.
Garos exhaled and looked down.
Below, a colossal Rock-Crushing Worm, over a hundred meters long, coiled at the bottom of the abandoned mine pit. Its metallic shell glinted coldly in the sunlight, radiating an overwhelming presence.
Grind! Grind! Grind!
With a nauseating grinding sound, the ground cracked and shattered as more Rock-Crushing Worms burst forth.
They swarmed in dense, writhing masses, their bodies rubbing against each other in a chilling display.
"A Rock-Crushing Worm swarm, complete with a king," Garos thought. "This place is not for me, at least for now."
"Finding a suitable territory is proving much harder than I thought," the young dragon mused with regret.
Dodging the acidic rain spat by the swarm, he soared higher and higher, leaving the area behind.
(End of the Chapter)
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