Translator: AnubisTL
Flee? Abandon my territory?
This was Garos's first thought.
When faced with an overwhelming and irresistible threat, Garos would have no hesitation in retreating to avoid the immediate danger.
But his life here had just begun to stabilize. He had integrated the monster clans under his command, secured a branch of the trade route, and established a stable supply of black oil. Everything was progressing in a positive direction.
To abandon it all now would be unbearable.
In the wilderness, weakness was the greatest risk. Starting over would cost him precious time and energy, slowing his growth and prolonging his vulnerability.
This was something Garos could not tolerate.
The giant's words may not be entirely true. It might be bluffing to intimidate the Bonechewer Clan.
I'll wait until I've confirmed their true capabilities before making a final decision.
Garos didn't act rashly. Instead, his gaze grew deeper and calmer, suppressing all emotion as he continued to lie in wait, silently observing.
Among the various giant species...
Stone giants excel in strength and defense, but their senses are rather dull. Garos, hidden in the shadows, wasn't worried about being discovered.
"Oh, so you mean there are other giants?"
Karu nodded, waving his greasy hand. "Are you the strongest among them? If not, don't waste my time with talk of loyalty and submission. The Bonechewer Clan only follows the strongest."
"Bring your strongest stone giant to me, and I'll consider pledging my loyalty."
The stone giant's brow furrowed again.
It stared at Karu, and a dangerous glint appeared in its stone-like eyes. Its aura grew heavier, as if it were merging with the earth itself.
Karu met the challenge, baring his shark-like teeth in a grin.
The ogre elite warriors of the clan hefted their weapons, their hulking bodies encircling Karu, eyes burning with hostility. Several sorcerers gripped their bone staves, retreating behind the warriors, ready to cast spells at a moment's notice.
The stone giant remained silent for several seconds, the dangerous glint in its eyes gradually fading.
The other members of its clan were on other missions, leaving it alone among the Bonechewer Clan. A direct confrontation with this group of ogres would be unwise.
Its physical strength and magical energy were not limitless, nor had it reached a level of absolute power that could disregard numbers.
"In three days, an elder more powerful than me will arrive personally," the stone giant declared, its gravelly voice like grinding stones as it stared directly into Karu's eyes. "At that time, I need your final answer: will you submit or refuse?"
With that, it turned and strode away from the Bonechewer Clan, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly, just as it had upon arrival.
Karu shouted after it, "Let your elder come alone! This is a sign of respect for the Bonechewer Clan! If you bring other stone giants, you will not gain our approval!"
After the stone giant had departed, two elite warriors, with permission, set down the Gluttony Demon they had been carrying, their chests heaving like bellows.
Some time later, having confirmed that the stone giant would not suddenly turn back, the red-iron dragon soared from the mountain ridge and landed before Gluttonous Demon Karu.
"Karu, you did well," Garos said without holding back his praise.
He was particularly impressed by the final request: to have the Stone Giant Elder come alone. If the Elder was truly interested in the Bonechewer Clan and came alone, it would give Garos a significant advantage.
The Gluttony Demon let out a guttural chuckle and rumbled, "Then may I have your shed dead skin as a reward?"
It had been coveting Garos for a long time. While it knew it stood no chance of tasting his flesh and wouldn't dare ask for such a thing, it held out hope for a taste of dragon hide, even if it was just shed dead skin.
"No," Garos refused.
After a pause, he added, "Once I perform the dragon blood transformation on you, you'll become a dragon blood creature. If you want to know how it tastes, just take a few bites of yourself."
The Gluttony Demon's eyes lit up. "When will I undergo the dragon blood transformation?"
"After you've earned enough merit for me."
"When can I earn merit?" Karu pressed, eager for the transformation.
"Soon. Inform your kin and prepare for battle."
Garos narrowed his eyes, gazing in the direction the stone giant had departed.
Whether to fight or flee, it was always wise to prepare.
The Gluttony Demon grew excited, growling, "Karu loves battle!"
A fierce battle followed by a massive feast was the most effective way to stimulate the Gluttony Demon's growth and development.
A few minutes later, at Garos's command, the Gluttony Demon began mobilizing the members of the Bonechewer Clan. He ordered the clan's food reserves to be opened, allowing the elite warriors to feast to their hearts' content, eating as much as they could to prepare for the potential battle ahead.
A well-fed ogre was a formidable warrior.
This was a testament to Garos's generous treatment of the Bonechewer Clan.
With multiple sorcerers and a powerful Gluttony Demon, the clan proved to be an excellent training ground for Garos. He spent more time with the Bonechewer Clan than with any other clan.
When training his combat skills against ferocious beasts, Garos would casually capture some high-level ferocious beasts and demonic creatures after his meals, tossing them to the Bonechewer Clan as rewards.
Garos understood that ruling solely through dragon might and fear was unstable.
He needed to show his clans that following him brought benefits, rewards, and a promising future. A combination of rewards and punishments was far more effective than constant pressure and demands.
This was one of the principles of the Monarch Theory from the inheritance, originating from an ancient dragon ancestor who had once established a kingdom.
The ogres' sole purpose in life was to eat.
Garos's rewards moved them to tears of gratitude, and the Bonechewer Clan's loyalty grew stronger each day.
Compared to the tangible benefits they had already received, the Stone Giant Elder's earlier empty promises were not worth a mention.
Garos suppressed his aura and took flight without making a sound. His black-gray, inconspicuous normal explosive scales blended almost perfectly with the night.
He glided silently through the clouds, his gaze sweeping over the mountains and plains below.
Soon, Garos locked onto a familiar figure.
It was an adult stone giant, having left the Cracked Spine Hills and now traveling across the ground in a specific direction.
To avoid alerting the creature, Garos refrained from using a divination spell on it.
However, based on its size and the descriptions of stone giants in the inheritance, he roughly estimated its life grade to be around level 9, with a 90% probability of it being exactly level 9, with no more than a one-level margin of error.
In other words, the stone giant was at the same level as Garos.
A stone giant of the same level posed no threat to Garos.
Among the giants, Storm Giants ranked highest in combat prowess at the same level, while stone giants were not considered top-tier.
As a Red Iron Hybrid, Garos's innate talent as a hybrid dragon rivaled that of a gold dragon, even without activating his Adaptive Evolution Talent. As he evolved and grew stronger, he estimated that even a gold dragon of the same level would now be no match for him.
Among the major dragon classes,
Unless they possessed special talents or positive mutations,
No dragon of the same level could contend with Garos.
The problem lay in the 'elder' the stone giant had mentioned.
A Stone Giant Elder was at least two hundred years old, a mature adult with a life grade between 10 and 13.
Even the weakest Stone Giant Elder, at level 10,
Still surpassed Garos in life grade.
Garos disliked fighting opponents above his level, or more precisely, he disliked fighting opponents above his level unless absolutely necessary.
"The number and strength of this stone giant vanguard..."
"Since I'm currently hidden and they're exposed, I'll investigate thoroughly first."
Garos thought.
If he confirmed that a larger force was coming, he would have to abandon his territory. But if this vanguard wasn't particularly formidable, Garos would retreat while inflicting the most painful losses possible on them.
(End of the Chapter)
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