Translator: AnubisTL
For several consecutive days, torrential rain had shrouded the wilderness, but its destructive force finally began to subside.
The once-impenetrable curtain of rain that had stretched from heaven to earth now dissolved into fine silver strands, dripping softly against the rocks and vegetation. Deep within the damp earth, long-dormant seeds greedily drank the moisture, storing energy for their eventual sprouting and growth.
Three days had passed since Garos's encounter with the red copper dragon.
After Garos left with the words, "I'll be back," the red copper dragon turned and departed without resistance.
In Garos's eyes, the red copper dragon was like a gift-wrapped package that periodically visited, bestowing wealth and equipment. He found it rather agreeable.
As for the red copper dragon's threat to defeat him, Garos paid it no mind.
Dragonkind's nature was inherent. The red copper dragon might be spurred by its recent defeat to sharpen its claws and fangs, striving to grow stronger like Garos. But maintaining such relentless discipline over years would prove exceedingly difficult.
Moreover,
as long as it couldn't resolve to abandon its life-saving scale...
It remained separated from true danger by a veil, unable to undergo genuine training in the wilderness.
If it were Garos...
He was certain he couldn't make that decision.
He was too covetous of the life-saving scales that metallic dragons granted their offspring. Unfortunately, his origins doomed him to a precarious existence, forced to coexist with danger.
From the red copper dragon, Garos had seized a Horn Ring and quickly understood its effect.
It contained a strengthening spellβBloodburst.
This spell could temporarily enhance all his attributes, but it came with a side effect: after use, his body would become weakened. If he couldn't defeat his enemy while in the Bloodburst state, the subsequent weakness would put him in grave peril.
Yet, for Garos, this was superior to any alchemy item he had previously acquired.
He tested it once and discovered that Bloodburst directly affected his physical state.
During the spell's duration, his dragon blood seemed to boil within him, surging through his veins like a furnace, his heart pounding like a mad engine.
This meant that if he used the Bloodburst Horn Ring frequently enough, Garos's body might gradually adapt and evolve to develop the ability to Bloodburst directly, without the need for alchemy items.
Garos's self-evolved physical talents would be far superior to any alchemy item.
Alchemy items would inevitably become obsolete, but his physical talents would grow stronger alongside him.
Garos gradually realized the proper way to use alchemy items: as catalysts and keys to unlock his own evolution.
For a time,
Garos even looked forward to encountering the red copper dragon again, hoping to obtain more alchemy items like the Bloodburst Horn Ring from it.
Meanwhile,
as he fully understood the Bloodburst Horn Ring's usage and the rain subsided, Garos resolved to unite the Scale-Earth Rift Road Creature Clans.
Crescent Moon Valley.
The werewolves of the Howling Moon Clan surrounded the red-iron dragon, each employing their unique methods.
Their claws and fangs struck the dragon's body, sparking fiery embers that flickered in the rain.
The old shaman waved his oak staff, summoning a wind totem.
Sharp wind blades coalesced into a raging storm, scattering the rain and sweeping across the red-iron dragon. Countless sparks flew, as if slicing through an indestructible anvil.
As time passed,
after more than ten minutes had elapsed,
the high-intensity "battle" had nearly exhausted the strength of the werewolf pack. The old shaman was also panting, the figure of the werewolf ancestors flickering before his eyes as if beckoning him.
This siege was not an act of betrayal,
but rather a way to cater to the dragon lord's desires, a method that brought him pleasure.
Through this, the werewolves realized what a terrifying creature their dragon lord truly was. Within that young dragon-like frame lay a strength and defense far surpassing even a juvenile dragon, concealing boundless potential.
"Dragon Lord, your scales are as thick and solid as the earth," said Werewolf Chieftain Russell, a warrior who worshiped strength, kneeling on one knee before the hybrid dragon.
Garos stretched his wings in the light rain, noticing numerous claw marks etched across the surface of his scales.
The explosive scales, evolved from cushion scales, offered excellent resistance to blunt force and collisions, but performed ordinarily against sharp weapons.
Below these explosive scales, however,
lay a layer of black-red scales
lacking any cushioning or explosive properties.
It was simple, pure, and utterly sturdy.
As if cast from steel, yet harder than true steel, it was utterly indestructible.
When a werewolf raked its claws across the gaps between the explosive scales, the claws snapped upon contact with the underlying layer of scales, leaving not even a scratch.
One could imagine the psychological reaction of any creature unfamiliar with Garos who, after a desperate struggle, finally managed to strip away all his explosive scales, only to discover an unyielding layer of scales beneath.
Immediately, Garos dismissed the other werewolves, retaining only the shaman, who was the wisest and most experienced.
As the eldest of the Howling Moon Clan, the shaman commanded immense respect and served as the true leader, intimately familiar with every aspect of the clan's affairs. In contrast, Werewolf Chieftain Russell, though young, was more of a "general" leading the clan in battle.
Garos asked, "How have the recent operations along the Scaly Earth Rift Road been?"
Nick's Caravan would require another half-month to return.
Garos refused to wait idly. He ordered the Howling Moon Clan werewolves to continue ambushing along the Scaly Earth Rift Road, selecting suitable targets to establish trade channels with the southern civilizations.
The old shaman lowered its head, its ancient body prostrating itself on the ground in apology.
"I apologize for disappointing you. Apart from the very first merchant caravan, our people responsible for the Scaly Earth Rift Road found nothing."
It spoke.
"Rise and tell me what happened," Garos said.
Could it be that even robbery has a beginner's bonus? After Nick's Caravan's success, there were simply no other opportunities.
The old shaman rose again, its fur matted with mud and water, but it made no move to clean itself.
Having read the clan's archives, it knew that most dragonkind were capricious and temperamental. Though Garos seemed relatively amiable and unlike an evil dragon, the old shaman felt it was never wrong to show deference to a dragon.
The mud and water on its fur were not filth.
They were loyalty, reverence, and humility.
Under Garos's calm gaze, the old shaman explained in a low voice, "For the past few days, heavy rains and harsh weather prevented any merchant caravans from passing through the Scaly Earth Rift Road."
"Once the rains subsided, the Redeye Clan and Riftclaw Clan also ambushed the road, robbing any passing caravans."
"Their chosen ambush locations were more advantageous than ours, always allowing them to strike first."
The clans that settled around the trade route were actually quite far from it. If they settled too close, they risked being dealt with by the Thousand Serpents' Trace Guard, the Lothurn Federation's force responsible for clearing out ferocious beasts and demonic creatures.
Each time they went out to raid, they had to spend a long time traveling back and forth, all while guarding against attacks from ferocious beasts and demonic creatures.
Intelligent beings also existed in the wilderness at that time.
After years of trial and error, several clans gradually established their own fixed routes and territory claims, carefully avoiding the territories of powerful ferocious beasts and demonic creatures and navigating through treacherous obstacles.
The Howling Moon Clan's territory was less favorable, located further back along the route.
A merchant caravan would only reach the Howling Moon Clan's territory after safely navigating the initial stretches of the Scaly Earth Rift Road.
Normally, monsters didn't frequent the trade route.
On one hand, the Scaly Earth Rift Road was a minor side path with few merchant caravans. Most ambushes were a waste of time, yielding nothing.
On the other hand, frequent appearances and raids on the trade route would attract the attention of merchant caravans and even the Guard, leading to retaliation.
As a result, although the werewolves' territory was less favorable, some merchant caravans still passed through it. However, their numbers were small, and after excluding those with strong guards, the suitable targets became even fewer.
(End of the Chapter)
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