Translator: AnubisTL
The migrating party advanced slowly like a colossal, winding serpent at the boundary between the tundra and the wilderness.
The sun silently poured down its light, yet seemed to have lost its warmth. The air grew increasingly frigid, and each breath exhaled visible plumes of vapor.
Garos's dragon wings sliced through the biting winds. From high above, the land resembled a divine scroll violently torn apart by a god.
The withered yellow of the wilderness clashed fiercely with the pale white of the tundra.
In the southern wilderness, lingering traces of the rainy season remained. Patches of tender green sprouted from the damp earth, newborn grass blades stubbornly piercing through the cracked soil and swaying gently in the breeze. Low-lying shrubs donned fresh foliage, their deep green leaves still adorned with glistening water droplets that shimmered like scattered jewels under the sunlight.
Yet when one gazed northward, the landscape transformed dramatically.
Signs of life abruptly ceased. The frozen earth, like a merciless tyrant, strangled all vitality with its pale, icy fingers. The terrain was predominantly flat plains, occasionally punctuated by rolling hills and jagged highlands that rose like the spines of giant beasts. In the distance, the horizon blurred, merging seamlessly with the gray-white sky, making it impossible to distinguish where the land ended and the sky began.
"This is the borderlands," Garos said, withdrawing his gaze from the horizon and looking down at the earth below.
The monsters' migration had slowed considerably, not because of difficult terrain, but because they were searching for suitable habitats along the way.
Since crossing the Estonian Great River and reaching its northern bank, attacks by ferocious beasts and demonic creatures had become far less frequent than before. The borderlands had a lower population density of such creatures compared to the Sierre Wilderness.
This also meant that the region was more barren and finding suitable habitats would be even more challenging.
Garos, along with the iron dragon and red dragon, circled leisurely in the sky, their wings beating steadily as they scanned the ground below, silently searching for suitable territories.
They had decided to develop trade along the Estonian Great River.
Instead of migrating directly north, they moved upstream, maintaining a safe distance from the main river channel.
Along the way, the migrating party discovered several promising locations.
Garos paused at a geothermal sulfur hill. The sulfur veins beneath the hill generated heat, creating a microclimate where heat-resistant mutated thornberry bushes and mutated fir trees thrived within a radius of several hundred meters. Steam from hot springs surged upward, forming hazy pillars of mist.
Samantha strongly insisted on building their nest here.
However, the pungent sulfur odor repelled most creatures, and the excessively high temperatures made the area unsuitable for neighboring wildlife. Consequently, there were virtually no signs of animal herds or suitable biological resources nearby.
They had to abandon the idea for now.
Nevertheless, Garos marked the sulfur hill's location. Once the main group had settled, they could establish an outpost here. While the underground sulfur veins weren't particularly valuable, the surrounding environment was ideal for a red dragon to practice alchemy.
"Once we've settled our chosen, I'll build a furnace at the sulfur hill and rebuild my alchemy workshop," Samantha said, still fixated on the sulfur hill.
It flew to Garos's side, reminding him not to forget, then paused before adding, "If you live here with me, you'll have access to the freshest black oil."
Garos shook his head, politely declining. "Comfortable environments will erode my will."
The martial dragon class didn't require the same ascetic training as a martial monk, but Garos believed the frigid borderlands kept his mind sharp, while the warm, sulfurous hills would make him drowsy.
The fierce battle with the dragon hunters had left Garos shaken, despite their victory. He knew it wasn't yet time to indulge in leisure.
"Perfect! I actually prefer having a vast territory all to myself! No interruptions, I can do whatever I want!" the red dragon scoffed, its words betraying its true feelings.
While red dragons typically preferred solitary lairs, this one had grown accustomed to relying on Garos over the years and was now visibly displeased.
"Look ahead! There's a fortress!" the iron dragon's roar interrupted their conversation.
Garos and Samantha followed the iron dragon's gaze, their eyes landing on a somewhat dilapidated fortress in the distance.
Its walls were imposing, its architecture grand, and its scale sufficient to house even adult dragons, easily accommodating the juvenile dragons' size. With some modifications, it could become an excellent dwelling.
"It looks like an abandoned fortress left by frost giants," Garos observed.
The northern borderlands of the Estonian Great River had once been part of the frozen tundra. Over time, as the climate warmed and the ice melted, the region gradually transformed into the borderlands we see today. This fortress was likely abandoned long ago by a frost giant tribe.
"There might be dangers inside. Let's send our familiars to scout ahead first."
"If it's habitable, we'll never have to live like wild beasts in caves and dens again!"
After a brief exchange, a team of Hyena-Men and elite lizardfolk, known for their keen senses, escorted the sorcerer into the ancient fortress. After a thorough investigation, they emerged to report no magic traps or threatening creatures.
The red dragon and iron dragon eagerly prepared to fly over.
"Don't rush," Garos cautioned.
"It looks quite dilapidated. It might not be suitable for us to inhabit."
Garos's gaze swept over the cracks and weathered marks on the towering walls.
"As long as it's habitable, that's all that matters! It's a fortress!"
A fortress suitable for dragonkind was beyond the means of ordinary juvenile dragons.
The iron dragon and red dragon, brimming with excitement, ignored Garos's warnings and entered the fortress.
Less than ten seconds later, a faint crash echoed through the air. The massive fortress began to crumble, collapse, and disintegrate, transforming into a heap of rubble and dust.
Pah! Pah! Pah!
The two juvenile dragons spat out mouthfuls of debris, shook off the dust, and emerged from the ruins, covered in grime.
"Damn it! I just accidentally brushed a pillar with my tail, and the whole thing started collapsing!" Samantha said, shaking her head in frustration.
The fortress had weathered countless years, its interior long since decayed beyond repair.
Garos narrowed his eyes, observing the still-intact foundation beneath the rubble. "With some clearing and repairs, this place could serve as one of our future strongholds," he remarked.
The migrating party resumed their journey, seeking a suitable territory while familiarizing themselves with and adapting to their surroundings.
Three days later...
As twilight deepened, painting the sky in a gradient of gray-blue hues, Garos spotted a vast valley nestled between two towering mountains.
From above, the valley's entrance appeared as narrow as a bottleneck, yet the interior opened into a surprisingly expansive space.
The jagged, towering mountain walls provided shelter from wind and cold. The narrow entrance, barely wide enough for five ogres to pass abreast, was easily defended and difficult to breach. Inside lay an unfrozen lake, its shores lined with hardy iron-needle pines. Herds of animals could be seen drinking at the water's edge, and the interior space was vast, resembling a verdant oasis.
Garos's eyes lit up at the sight.
However, he refrained from acting rashly. Instead, he ordered the Crimson Iron Cavalry Legion to dispatch a squad of giant wolf knights to scout the area.
In the Sierre Wilderness, resource-rich territories were either occupied by powerful creatures or possessed inherent dangers or drawbacks.
Borderlands were even more barren than the wilderness.
The chances of finding a good territory unclaimed were exceedingly slim.
Although the valley's vastness and towering walls obscured his aerial view, Garos saw no immediate signs of powerful creatures. This didn't mean they weren't present, so it was best to send his familiars ahead to assess the situation.
(End of the Chapter)
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