Translator: AnubisTL
In the rain-soaked valley, towering coniferous pines stood tall, their tips swaying in the wind and rain.
Garos flapped his wings, descending to land on a rocky ledge. He then summoned the fairy dragon, red dragon, and earthstorm bears to gather.
Fine silver threads continued to fall like rain.
The earthstorm bears stood drenched, their fur dripping wet. The fairy dragon huddled under the red dragon's wing for shelter, while the red dragon fidgeted, twitching its tail and clearly uncomfortable in the downpour.
"I am entering dragon sleep," Garos announced. "For the next five years, I may not awaken."
Upon hearing this, Mobel was the first to pledge his loyalty, dropping to his knees with his rump in the air. A hint of hyena-man-like obsequiousness crept across his normally good-natured bear face.
"My lord, rest assured! With me leading the earthstorm bear guard, no creature will disturb your slumber!"
"When you awaken, you will sweep across the Sierre Wilderness like a storm, forcing countless beings to submit!"
The other earthstorm bears looked at Mobel with envy, impressed by his skill at flattering the dragon.
Ordinary earthstorm bears were not eloquent, knowing only how to work diligently and unable to come up with flattering words. They considered Mobel a genius, marveling at his silver tongue and the speed and skill with which he knelt.
After Mobel had been kneeling for several seconds, the other earthstorm bears finally reacted, dropping to their knees before Garos and vowing to guard the valley well.
Garos, however, had no intention of slumbering in Needleleaf Valley.
Against a powerful enemy, these earthstorm bears, the red young dragon, and the fairy dragon would be insufficient to hold them back. Moreover, the valley's concentration of creatures would draw unwanted attention. It would be better to find a secluded spot for his dragon slumber.
"Guard Needleleaf Valley well," Garos commanded. "When I awaken, I do not wish to find it under new ownership."
He issued the order sternly, then dismissed the earthstorm bears.
Fairy Dragon Vera poked her small head out from under Samantha's wing membrane and fluttered toward Garos. Her translucent wings beat rapidly, raindrops sliding off her scales. "I can help you find a safe lair! There's a hidden cave east of the pine forest, its entrance concealed by vines. No one would ever find it!"
"That won't be necessary," Garos replied. "I have my own plans."
"Five years," Garos said.
Samantha flew over. "Five years? Do you really need to sleep that long? Can't you shorten it?"
During Garos's last recovery period, which lasted only seven days, she had already felt severe anxiety and a deep sense of insecurity. The thought of him being gone for five years filled her with unease and dread.
"Absolutely not. Five years is a conservative estimate," Garos replied.
He flicked his tail, sending a spray of water into the air, and turned to Samantha. "During my dragon slumber, you and Vera must be cautious. Stay hidden in Needleleaf Valley and avoid unnecessary risks."
After a pause, he added sternly, "And stop playing with ants all day! When I wake up, if your alchemy skills haven't improved..."
He left the sentence unfinished, leaving Samantha to imagine the consequences.
In five years, barring unforeseen events, the two clans should be able to accumulate a significant reserve of black oil. By then, Garos would need Samantha to refine the black oil using alchemy, striving to enhance its quality as much as possible.
"As long as you wake up soon, I promise I won't disappoint you," Samantha said.
Her unusually obedient response surprised Garos.
He didn't press the matter further and turned his gaze to the fairy dragon Vera.
Garos instructed, "Don't forget to collect your scale powder every day and gather it in one place."
The fairy dragon circled Garos, chirping, "Okay, okay!" She blinked her eyes and asked, "Can you play with me while you're sleeping?"
Garos shook his head. "I'll be asleep. How can I play with you then?"
The fairy dragon giggled. "That's okay! As long as you say it's okay, I won't bother you. I can play by myself."
Her gaze swept over Garos's body as she imagined how she would decorate him while he slept—perhaps painting doodles, planting flowers and herbs as embellishments, or dressing him up to make him "cute and pretty."
Garos had no idea what the fairy dragon was truly thinking.
But that didn't stop him from refusing.
"Sure, you can stay by my side while I'm slumbering," he said with a chuckle.
"Yay!" The fairy dragon bounced with excitement, overjoyed.
"Just be careful not to get killed," Garos added casually. "I don't distinguish between friend and foe in my dreams."
The fairy dragon froze.
It suddenly remembered that Garos was the "Dream Dragon Slayer" and should not be approached.
"Um, never mind. I'd rather play with Samantha and the earthstorm bears. I won't bother you," the fairy dragon said, sticking out its tongue and immediately changing its tune.
After giving the two dragons some final instructions, Garos began preparing for his dragon slumber.
First, he went to the cave where the cliff serpent dragon's corpse lay and extracted its most potent organ—the heart. Then, he left the cave, soared into the sky, and vanished into the dense rain.
Some time later, Garos arrived above a region shrouded in steam and mist, reeking of sulfur.
This was the dragon slumber site he had chosen in advance.
Garos had a habit of planning ahead, preparing for any eventuality.
When he first attempted to evolve Jet Dragon Wings and used fairy scale powder to accelerate his thinking, he realized that dragon slumber could significantly increase his chances of success. During his daily training and exploration of the surrounding terrain, he had discovered this ideal location.
Garos lowered his gaze and surveyed the scene below.
The rift valley stretched out like a wound cleaved into the earth by a giant axe, its winding path disappearing into the distance.
The gray-white rock walls were riddled with honeycomb-like holes, constantly spewing scorching steam that condensed into thick fog in the cold rain.
Peering through the dense steam, one could faintly glimpse dark red lava veins at the bottom of the chasm, flowing slowly through the rock fissures like blood vessels, carrying sulfurous fumes hundreds of meters into the air.
The extreme heat and high temperatures were ideal for fire-type creatures.
Yet the air was also saturated with scalding, humid steam, making the environment unbearable for ordinary water-type creatures as well.
The Steam Chasm was a harsh, lifeless place.
But for Garos, it was perfect.
He retracted his wings and shot into the thick steam like an arrow from a bow, piercing through the scorching vapor as he descended toward the chasm floor.
He took refuge in a steam-venting rock fissure.
Garos smeared poison blood from the serpent dragon's heart onto his dragon wings, corroding them into a dense network of holes. Then, gritting his teeth, he endured the tormenting pain as scalding steam continuously surged through the perforations.
The dragon heart's blood had a more potent and longer-lasting toxic effect.
Moreover, the relentless steam would continuously irritate Garos's wounds, slowing their healing and making it even harder to purge the poison, thanks to the poison blood.
But this was precisely what he wanted.
Waves of searing pain washed over him.
Drowsiness surged like a rising tide.
Garos forced himself to relax, his eyelids began to flutter, and he succumbed to exhaustion, slowly closing his eyes and entering dragon sleep.
Deep slumber.
The dragon's aura completely retracted, making it nearly impossible for other creatures to detect him. Yet his perception of danger remained heightened, even more sensitive than usual. Any life-threatening threat would instantly rouse him, shattering his dragon slumber.
The rift fell silent.
Only the ceaseless roar of surging steam echoed through the air.
Enveloped in the dense steam, the red-iron dragon lay dormant, silently evolving.
Waiting for its next awakening.
Perhaps these battle-forged wings would no longer need to interact with rainy environments to unleash steam. They might now be capable of erupting with comet-like trails, transforming into peerless weapons of destruction.
(End of the Chapter)
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