Four-Claws Shatter a Legendary Dream!
The mountain wind howled through the steep, craggy rock faces, emitting mournful wails.
The once silent Giant Rock Mountain Range was now solidified by a murderous atmosphere; although sunlight streamed down from the sky, it seemed to have lost all its warmth.
Led by the Mountain King, majestic as a mountain, the entire Giant Legion was already poised for battle.
They stood silently on the ground, looking like powerful hills from a distance.
Among them, the largest and most muscular Mountain Giants, whose muscles were as knotted as rocks, stood firmly on the front line.
Their skin, rough like rocks weathered over ten thousand years, almost perfectly blended with the surrounding environment; in their hands, they gripped colossal wooden clubs comparable to thick roof beams, or giant axes that had been tempered a thousand times and gleamed with cold light, casting shadows that brought a suffocating sense of oppression.
Slightly behind them stood a smaller number of other Giants.
There were Fire Giants with dark red skin, constantly emitting scorching, distorted auras, and sturdy, heavy Stone Giants, as if carved from a single block of granite.
Without exception, all of them exuded powerful and awe-inspiring energy fluctuations.
Evidently, they were all at least adult elite warriors.
At this moment, all the Giants' faces were solemn and grave, as they collectively looked up, their gaze focused on the sky.
Dragon shadows obscured the sky, and the heavens were dim.
The King of Molten Iron, at the forefront, possessed an unparalleled robust physique, exuding a fierce aura tempered by countless bloody battles; his thick, black and red scales were covered with deep and gruesome battle scars, and even when surrounded by numerous Dragons, he remained like the most dazzling star in the night sky, an undisputed focal point.
Beside him, several other powerful Dragons of various forms stood guard.
Red Dragon Samantha flapped her wings covered in alchemical plates, hot Dragon Breath spewing from her nostrils, twisting the surrounding air, her Dragon eyes burning with a fervent desire for battle, fixed on the ground below; Iron Dragon Sorog, on the other hand, was as steady as a mountain, his black iron-like scales reflecting the sunlight, wearing a specially constructed helmet that almost only revealed his eyes.
Golden Dragon Nasha and Blue Dragon Zoraya had an even stronger Dragon Qi.
The Amethyst Dragon Lion, Holy Spirit Deer, and Phoenix, these three lords also each occupied a position, their powerful auras almost second only to the King of Molten Iron. Further back were other Youth Dragons and adult Dragons, forming a chilling aerial formation.
The two sides confronted each other, not daring to launch an attack rashly.
They were all observing each other very carefully.
And in their standoff, the air seemed to freeze, and even the mountain wind seemed to have wisely stopped.
Finally, under the gaze of the Red Iron Dragon, Mountain King Grumm broke the balance first.
He took a heavy step forward, his colossal body, over forty meters tall at the shoulder, caused the solid earth to tremble and loose stones to jump with just the landing of his foot.
Among the major Giant races, Mountain Giants have always been known for their immense size.
The Mountain King gripped a battle-axe in his hand—the earth ripper—ancient in style yet imbued with a terrifying sense of power.
He merely rested it seemingly casually on the ground, and with another distinct tremor, a huge, bottomless fissure instantly spread into the distance from where the axe blade touched, demonstrating unmatched power.
The Red Iron Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly, and his sharp gaze instantly locked onto the weapon in the Mountain King's hand.
From that battle-axe, he clearly sensed a hint of danger, even somewhat similar to the feeling he had when facing that Legendary Sword Saint, though not as intense.
"There are obvious nicks on the axe blade, and the thick axe head is covered in cracks. This is very likely a damaged Legendary-level equipment."
Galos calmly and quickly assessed in his mind.
That the Mountain King possessed a Legendary equipment was indeed something he had not anticipated beforehand.
However, he did not feel the slightest tension because of this, merely adding a few necessary precautions to his heart.
He knew that no matter how good the equipment, it ultimately depended on who used it.
Even with complete Legendary equipment, the Mountain King's strength would make it difficult to fully unleash its intended effect, let alone this one which was in a damaged state.
In the opposing Giant camp.
Unlike the initial surge of unwillingness and determination when he first heard of the Dragon Group's arrival, Mountain King Grumm had now regained his mountain-like composure, his mind rapidly contemplating other possible ways to resolve this crisis.
After a brief few seconds of silence.
The Mountain King spoke, his voice like rolling stones, echoing through the empty valley.
"Powerful King of Molten Iron, your illustrious reputation has long spread far and wide, reaching my ears, and your magnificent feat of successfully slaying a Legendary fills me with sincere awe."
The Mountain King's gaze was like a rock, firmly fixed on the Red Iron Dragon's majestic body, his tone humble.
"Although our Giant race and your noble Dragon kind have deep-seated hatred from ancient times, fundamentally, we are not born mortal enemies."
"I led my kin to this place merely to seek a dwelling where our race could continue."
"In the decades we have resided here, we have never actively encroached upon any territory of the Molten Iron Tribe."
"I, Grumm, am willing to continue living in peace with the Molten Iron Tribe."
Under the Red Iron Dragon's deep gaze, Mountain King Grumm continued, "We can become your strongest allies, no, even your vassals! I am willing to regularly offer the resources we collect to the powerful Molten Iron Tribe, only begging that you allow us to keep this last home, so that my people may multiply and continue their bloodline."
While displaying his own formidable strength and Legendary equipment, he also lowered his stance, his tone appearing very sincere.
It even carried a plea.
This made him seem like not a very threatening enemy.
However, this was not genuine submission.
The Mountain King's true purpose was to stall for time, to gain a moment of respite.
As long as he could overcome the immediate crisis, and after a while, successfully break through to the Legendary realm by utilizing the earth pulse energy, then no matter what price he paid now, he would recover it all with interest in the future.
All the humiliation endured today would surely be repaid a hundredfold!
According to the dragons legacy records, the minds of Mountain Giants were considered the dullest among the various Giant types; their temperament was as steady as a mountain, and they were also known for being very stubborn, straightforward, and not skilled at playing tricks or schemes.
If it were other Dragons who firmly believed in the Heritage, they might have believed the Mountain King's words at this moment due to this inherent impression.
However, the one he faced now was Galos.
Golden Dragons full of conquest or battle thrill, Silver Dragons outwardly stern but inwardly treacherous and cunning, White Dragons who could comprehend ecological niche theories. Galos had seen too many Dragons that could not be judged by common sense.
He was very clear that the collective impressions recorded in the Heritage could only be used as reference, not fully trusted.
However, he was also calmly weighing his options.
If the Mountain King genuinely chose to become a vassal, then the long-term benefits for the tribe would indeed be greater than directly engaging in war and annihilating them.
The Red Iron Dragon's gaze was sharp and calm, looking down at Mountain King Grumm on the ground.
"I can tell that your compromise is primarily for the survival of your kin."
His deep, authoritative voice sounded, and he stated his condition: "You want peace? It's possible."
"Then, first hand over the weapon in your hand, as a token of your sincerity."
The Mountain King hesitated, a troubled expression on his face, and explained, "Respected King of Molten Iron, this 'earth ripper' is the last memento left by my father, carrying the tribe's heritage and honor, and only warriors with pure Mountain Giant blood can activate its inherent power."
Galos's expression did not change in the slightest; he calmly changed his demand.
"It seems that this request is indeed a bit too difficult. In that case, I'll propose a relatively simpler one."
He said in a flat tone, "Then, you will sever one of your arms, and then return with me alone to the Molten Iron territory. There, we can sit down and discuss the specific terms and details of vassalage."
On the ground, Mountain King Grumm fell into a deeper silence, his heart churning.
Whether it was surrendering his relied-upon Legendary equipment or going alone to the core territory of the King of Molten Iron, both contained immense, unbearable risks.
Once the other party turned hostile, he, stripped of geographical advantage and the support of his kin, would surely die without any possibility of resistance.
He could not stake his life, and the future of his entire tribe, on the vague benevolence of a Dragon.
Seeing that the Mountain King was slow to respond, the Red Iron Dragon's gaze gradually turned cold.
"I see no sincerity in you as you claim. It seems your so-called submission is merely a feigned compromise, intended to buy time."
How keen and agile was Galos's mind?
He guessed that Mountain King Grumm might be hiding some reliance or trump card, but it required time to brew or activate.
That was likely also the reason he had steadfastly remained in this location for decades, never expanding on a large scale.
The next moment, the Dragon's sky-obscuring wings suddenly spread, and the wing membranes began to flow and emit scorching crimson light, like banners fluttering in the air.
"Crush them."
The King of Molten Iron calmly issued the final command to attack.
"Arrogant Dragon! I will personally cut off your head and use it as the best decoration for my throne!"
Seeing that negotiations were impossible, Mountain King Grumm tore off all pretenses, letting out a furious roar that could shatter the surrounding rocks, the sound waves rolling like thunder.
"Warriors! For the glory of the Giants! Follow me and kill—!"
As the Mountain King's battle cry resounded across the battlefield, all the Giants warriors, poised for battle, as if plucked by the same string, simultaneously let out earth-shaking roars that pierced the sky, their fighting spirit instantly boiling!
In an instant, Dragon roars and the Giants' rough shouts intertwined, playing the prelude to war.
At the same time, with Galos's command, the massive Dragon Group, which had long been poised in the sky, like layers of dark clouds pressing down, launched an incomparably fierce attack with unmatched might.
From the very beginning of the battle, the Dragon Group, relying on its inherent aerial advantage, seized absolute initiative.
They were not in a hurry to descend to the ground and engage in close combat with the Giants, who excelled in ground warfare. Instead, they utilized their dominion over the sky, launching wave after wave of fierce attacks against the Giants from an overwhelming high-altitude position against the ground.
Blue Dragon Zoraya circled gracefully and lethally high in the sky.
With each beat of her massive wings, countless emerald green lightning arrows rained down upon the ground.
These lightning arrows, simultaneously imbued with potent poison and powerful paralyzing effects, not only easily pierced through the flameshields that the Fire Giants attempted to conjure, but also caused the Mountain Giants, who prided themselves on their tough hides, to become stiff and sluggish, with large areas of their skin beginning to fester.
Around her.
Flocks of Blue Dragons summoned raging hurricanes and thunder, sweeping down upon the land where the Giants were located.
Red Dragon Samantha also did not rush to dive down for the melee combat she loved.
Leveraging her advantage in flight altitude, as her Dragon mouth opened and closed, dazzling and complex alchemical runes lit up deep within her throat.
Explosive fireballs, specially enhanced with runes, descended like meteors, striking the most densely packed areas of the Giant formation.
The fireballs exploded, turning into inextinguishable, viscous flames, causing the Giants to let out continuous roars of pain and anger.
Iron Dragon Sorog also maintained a safe distance at all times.
He utilized his exquisite Psion skills, his invisible psionic ripples constantly interfering with the minds of the Giants below, especially those Giant arcanists attempting to channel spells, repeatedly forcibly interrupting their casting processes and causing them to suffer backlash.
Golden Dragon Nasha, on the other hand, displayed a different combat style.
She directly transformed into a streak of light, defiantly charging towards the Giants' ground formation.
At times, she scorched with blazing flames, at times she slowed with frost, at times she ambushed with lightning, and at times she protected with rock armor.
She skillfully and efficiently wielded the four elemental forces of earth, water, fire, and wind, adopting entirely different attack methods for different types of Giants.
Wherever her Dragon body passed, Giants fell one after another.
The Amethyst Dragon Lion, the Phoenix, the Holy Spirit Deer... these Lords, with an average level above 18, were equally unstoppable.
The other Youth Dragon and adult Dragons formed formations, using Dragon Breath and sharp claws to dive at or launch ranged attacks against the Giants.
The Giants, despite their powerful physical strength and defense, appeared passive and disheveled when facing flexible and diverse attacks from the sky.
The Hill Giants and Stone Giants hurled massive boulders with all their might.
The Dragon moved agilely, easily flapping its wings to dodge.
The ranged flame attacks spewed by the Fire Giants also found it difficult to hit the Dragons maneuvering at high speed in the sky.
After a brief but intense clash, a Hill Giant powerhouse, second only to the Mountain King in size, let out a deafening roar.
"Raise your arms! Let these arrogant flying lizards feel the heavy retention from the earth!"
Following his command, all the Hill Giants simultaneously ceased their futile ranged attacks.
The Giants collectively roared towards the sky, raising their thick, pillar-like arms upwards, their palms uniformly facing the Dragon Group rampaging in the sky.
At the same time, waves of profound and heavy earth energy surged from their robust bodies, resonating strongly with the ground beneath their feet.
Boom—!
A low, earth-shattering hum echoed across the battlefield.
In an instant, a massive gravity field covering the entire battlefield suddenly formed, as if an invisible giant hand pressed down on this space.
The dust in the air seemed to instantly become several times heavier, falling rapidly downwards.
The Dragon Group, which was wantonly attacking in the sky, suddenly felt their bodies sink, as if countless tough chains had appeared out of thin air, coiling around their wings and bodies.
Their previously light flight immediately became difficult, maintaining altitude became strenuous, and they involuntarily began to slowly descend.
This was precisely the anti-air skill mastered by the Hill Giants, the arch-enemies of Dragons.
By collectively channeling earth energy, they formed a powerful regional super-gravity field, specifically used to deal with enemies in the sky.
"Can't fly anymore, you damned crawlers! Now, get down here!"
A Mountain Giant looked at the visibly sluggish Dragon Group, a smile appearing on his face.
He raised the giant stone club in his hand, muscles tensed, ready to welcome the enemies who were about to lose control and fall.
However, the next moment, something incredible happened that left all the Giants, who were arrayed in anticipation, in disbelief.
Facing this sudden super-gravity effect, although the Dragon Group in the sky became heavy and slow in their flight posture, not a single Dragon lost control and fell as the Giants had predicted or hoped.
Instead, on each giant Dragon's neck, wing root joints, or thick claw wrists and other crucial parts, seemingly inconspicuous metal ornaments inscribed with complex runes suddenly lit up with a steady glow.
The runes flowed ceaselessly, emitting a stable energy fluctuation that greatly offset and isolated the gravity effect.
The Dragon race has always been known for their innate pride, rarely willing to rely on external objects, especially alchemical tools.
They always trusted their inherent claws, Dragon Breath, and tough scales more.
However, this Dragon Group under the King of Molten Iron was different.
Among other things, this type of alchemical equipment specifically designed to counter anti-air methods was almost standard for every Dragon.
"Stupid fools! Do you really think we came unprepared?"
Samantha let out a sharp, mocking Dragon roar.
Taking advantage of the brief moment of shock and distraction from the Giants below, she suddenly charged down, her Dragon claws unleashing super-heated molten cutting blades that glowed with a dangerous red light, easily slicing through the hard neck of a Stone Giant.
The Dragon Group launched an even fiercer attack.
However, although the anti-air method that the Giants had placed high hopes on failed, this was, after all, their territory, which they had managed for decades.
They still held the home-field advantage, and the total number of Giants present also exceeded the attacking Dragon Group.
For a short time, there was no sign of a one-sided defeat.
The battle between the Dragon Group and the Giants quickly entered a heated phase.
However, the most important part of the entire battlefield remained the combat zone between the King of Molten Iron and the Mountain King.
The King of Molten Iron and the Mountain King tacitly moved away from the main battlefield, engaging in a king-versus-king struggle amidst the more desolate and rugged peaks.
Here, only jagged rocks and cliffs, as if carved by knives and axes, witnessed this king-versus-king struggle.
The Mountain King stood majestically on the surface, his colossal body, over forty meters tall at the shoulder, appearing even more magnificent against the backdrop of the rugged mountains.
In terms of pure oppressive presence from his size alone, he even surpassed the Red Iron Dragon opposite him.
Facing the Mountain King, who stood ready with his Legendary battle-axe, the Red Iron Dragon showed no arrogance.
At the beginning of the battle, he unreservedly activated Excited State and Blood Burst State.
As for Crimson Lotus State, which required heat accumulation, he planned to activate it opportunistically during the battle.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A heart-beat, as heavy as ancient war drums, exploded from his powerful chest.
The muscles beneath his black-red scales terrifyingly bulged and swelled, filled with explosive power.
At the same time, brilliant golden electric arcs danced and crackled across his body.
Star Self Visage transformed into a helmet, greatly enhancing his perception.
Star Self Arm transformed into arms, activating the four-armed form.
In an instant, the Red Iron Dragon's speed, strength, neural response... all attributes climbed to a new level, and his overall aura surged.
The Mountain King clearly felt the oppressive force emanating from the opponent and dared not be negligent in the slightest.
A fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
He gripped the thick axe handle of the earth ripper with both hands, took a sudden step forward, his heavy footfall cracking the ground, then swung the battle-axe in a full circle, taking the initiative to attack.
The battle-axe, with a sharp, ear-piercing shriek that tore through the air, horizontally slashed out from a distance.
Hum—!
A solid, earthy-yellow axe-light, nearly twenty meters long, instantly erupted, plowing through the air like a crescent moon, heading straight for the Red Iron Dragon.
The speed of this axe-light was far inferior to the super-visual attacks of a Legendary Sword Saint, nor did it come with an unavoidable rule effect.
However, the Red Iron Dragon, locked onto by it, suddenly felt his whole body sink, as if being tightly gripped and squeezed by an invisible giant hand, his movements instantly becoming sluggish by a few points.
Clearly, this was some effect attached to the earth ripper.
The Red Iron Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly, and his wings suddenly spread to their limit.
Crimson energy light shimmered and flowed like flames on his wing membranes, like a pair of brilliant light wings suddenly unfurling.
With just a single sweep of his Dragon wings in the air, a powerful force erupted, and the squeezing sensation of the invisible giant hand was instantly torn and dispelled.
The Red Iron Dragon easily dodged the solid axe-light strike.
Whoosh!
Almost simultaneously with dodging the axe-light, the Red Iron Dragon opened his Dragon mouth, and a Destruction Dragon Breath projectile, slightly enhanced by a small amount of internal heat energy, shot out, directly at the Mountain King's face.
The spherical Dragon Breath was slightly less powerful than a linear Dragon Breath, but it was more flexible and swift, nearing the Mountain King in the blink of an eye.
The Mountain King's reaction was also swift.
He was experienced in battle, and facing the incoming Dragon Breath projectile, he neither dodged nor evaded, but instead calmly raised the broad axe-face like a shield, sweeping it towards the Dragon Breath projectile.
Bang!
A violent explosion sounded, and flames and shockwaves surged and spread.
The Mountain King was shaken back a few steps, his vision instantly filled with scorching flames.
However, just as the flames had not completely dissipated, the sharp, blade-like giant Dragon claws had already torn through the curtain of fire, striking fiercely at the Mountain King's head!
"It's a trap!"
Unexpectedly, instead of fear, a wide grin appeared on the Mountain King's face.
Unlike most of his fellow Hill Giants, who were often rough and straightforward, Grum was always astute and perceptive, despite his rough exterior.
As soon as he saw the King of Molten Iron unleash that Dragon Breath projectile, the Mountain King, relying on his rich combat intuition, had anticipated a potential close-range sneak attack disguised by it and had prepared accordingly in advance.
While his body was pushed back by the Dragon Breath, he had already slammed the heavy axe handle of the earth ripper into the ground.
Earth Vein Split!
Boom—Crack!
With the axe blade's impact point as the center, the earth was forcefully torn apart by an irresistible invisible force, and violent energy shockwaves surged upwards, rushing towards Galos's relatively vulnerable abdomen, who was advancing through the flames.
Some smaller rubble along the way was instantly pulverized into dust by this shockwave, and the pervasive flames were forcibly repelled.
A brief vacuum tunnel seemed to have been plowed through the air.
Facing this sudden counterattack, the Red Iron Dragon remained unfazed.
His evolved Dragon wings suddenly twisted and vibrated at an unimaginable angle and high frequency, making an almost right-angle upward turn during his rapid charge, avoiding the direct impact of the Earth Vein Split.
However, the shockwave spreading from the edge of the attack still swept across the Dragon's body.
Galos's body trembled slightly, and some fine cracks appeared on his scales, but they did not shatter.
His internal organs felt a slight churning discomfort, as if he had suffered some minor internal bleeding from the impact.
However, that was all.
Such minor injuries were negligible for a Dragon with tenacious vitality.
The Mountain King took this opportunity to steady his retreating figure, and with the earth ripper in hand, he swept it upwards with the might of tearing the earth, striking at the Red Iron Dragon.
Galos's body rotated sideways, and his massive Dragon wings folded back with an unnatural agility.
The shockwave attached to the axe blade grazed his scales, leaving some superficial wounds.
At the same time, the Red Iron Dragon used the force of the sideways rotation to move to the Mountain King's side.
He lowered his center of gravity with the momentum, and his Dragon tail, like a steel whip, lashed out at Grum's leg joint.
Clang!
A deafening clang of metal exploded.
The Dragon tail's giant blade struck the axe handle of the earth ripper, which had been brought up in time to block, sending out a large spray of dazzling sparks.
The Mountain King's combat movements were simple and direct, without many flashy or elaborate techniques, but each strike was precise and effective, wielding the earth ripper as if it were an extension of his arm, demonstrating extremely high weapon proficiency.
After successfully blocking this tail strike, the Mountain King's arm muscles bulged as he raised the earth ripper high.
He poured power into it and brought it down fiercely towards the Red Iron Dragon's back.
The Legendary equipment's attached shock effect was activated to its limit, and the air around the axe blade showed distorted ripples.
As before, Galos again felt a heavy, oppressive sensation.
If it were other Dragons of the same level, they might have been severely affected, their movements becoming sluggish or even rigid.
However, the Red Iron Dragon was full of stats, and in the blink of an eye, he once again broke free from this suppressive effect, quickly moving sideways from his original position.
Boom!!!
The giant axe slammed down onto the surface with the force of splitting mountains and cracking rocks, instantly tearing open a huge fissure like a ravine.
At the same moment the giant axe struck the ground, an alarm suddenly blared in the Mountain King's mind, and a sense of crisis assailed him from behind.
It turned out that while avoiding the giant axe's strike, the Red Iron Dragon did not move away, but instead used the rotational inertia to maneuver behind him in an extremely fluid, arc-shaped trajectory!
The edges of his Dragon wings, like chainsaw blades, vibrated at high frequency, chopping towards the Mountain King's back.
Mountain Range Barrier!
In the nick of time, the Mountain King activated the defensive skill attached to the earth ripper.
Centered on the battle-axe deeply embedded in the ground, a thick, solid earthy-yellow halo instantly appeared.
The light was heavy and substantial, carrying an indestructible aura, like ten thousand mountains standing tall, rapidly enveloping the Mountain King's massive body.
Crack!
The Dragon wings struck the halo barrier fiercely, and a huge crack immediately appeared on the barrier's surface.
The Mountain King staggered back again.
Before he could steady himself, the Red Iron Dragon's attack followed, changing from a chop to a slam, striking the already cracked Mountain Range Barrier with the wing surface.
Crack! Crack! Crack—!
Countless cracks rapidly extended and spread like a spiderweb, and the once thick halo barrier flickered erratically.
The Mountain King was directly knocked flying by this blow, crashing heavily into another mountain behind him, causing a colossal, earth-shaking rumble.
That mountain peak shook violently, its rock face crumbling, as if it would collapse at any moment.
"Compared to a true Legendary realm, it's still far off."
The Red Iron Dragon mused.
Through the series of intense, lightning-fast clashes just now, he had basically probed out the various effects of the earth ripper.
In short, this equipment made the Mountain King much stronger than a normal level 20 creature, but compared to the Legendary Sword Saint he had killed before, he was still a step behind.
Now that he had figured out the details, Galos decided to finish the fight quickly.
He took a deep breath, his Dragon scales gradually turning a searing red. Lines of fire shimmered and lit up, intertwining into an enchanting Crimson Lotus-like pattern, and his overall aura once again rose by another notch.
Crimson Lotus State, open!
On the other side, Mountain King Grumm, deeply embedded in the mountain's crater, felt a wave of deathly crisis wash over him, instantly engulfing him.
His body was still embedded in the shattered rock face, but he made no attempt to pull himself out of the mountain.
His body, inch by inch, actively sank deeper into the mountain.
Rumble—!
Countless gravel rolled down due to this anomaly.
The next moment, the mountain began to shake and vibrate violently.
It transformed, compressed, and molded at a visible speed… In the blink of an eye, this massive mountain actually turned into a Stone Giant, smaller in size but more solid, still hundreds of meters tall.
This Giant was made of tightly packed, hard rock, its massive body obscuring the sky.
In his hand, he still clutched an enormous Stone Battle Axe, shaped from countless mountain rocks.
Opposite, the Red Iron Dragon's wings stretched to their limit, hot waves surging around him, the crimson glow flowing on his wing membranes like molten lava.
He suddenly flapped his wings!
The air behind him was compressed and ignited by extreme force, exploding into a clear sonic boom cloud.
His body instantly vanished from its original spot, like a ferocious meteor burning with crimson flames, slamming into the magnificent Stone Giant.
"Earth, heed my command!"
A dull sound, like ten thousand thunders rolling, rang out.
With this command, the ground in front of the Red Iron Dragon's charge path violently cracked open.
Countless incomparably sharp, house-pillar-thick stone pillars shot up from the ground, soaring into the sky. They crisscrossed, like ferocious fangs piercing from the depths of the earth, fiercely biting at the crimson meteor.
But, all of them instantly shattered.
The crimson fierce star was unstoppable, tearing through all obstacles, rapidly approaching the Stone Giant.
In the critical moment, the passage of time seemed to stretch and slow down.
The Stone Giant let out an earth-shattering roar, swinging his massive Stone Battle Axe with the power to split mountains, hacking down at the oncoming Red Iron Dragon.
Whoosh!
However, the Red Iron Dragon, in a state of full-speed charge, managed to carve out a spiral trajectory at such high speed, bypassing the Giant Axe's attack range with incredible agility and precision.
The next second, the crimson fierce star slammed squarely into the Stone Giant's chest!
Time seemed to pause for an instant here, as immense kinetic energy and violent power accumulated and compressed wildly at the impact point.
Bang!
An deafening shattering sound echoed through the sky.
The Stone Giant's reinforced, incredibly thick rocky body, starting from the impact point, collapsed, shattered, and disintegrated layer by layer, as if struck by a giant hammer!
The crimson fierce star smashed through this thick body, breaking out from its back, bringing with it a sky full of flying debris.
And this was only the beginning.
The crimson meteor, transformed from the Red Iron Dragon, continued without pause, drawing a sharp zigzag line in the air, launching another charge from a tricky angle, and once again violently smashing through the already broken body of the Mountain Giant!
This was repeated, after several charges and penetrations.
This massive body could no longer hold up.
It transformed into countless gravel of varying sizes, falling from mid-air like a vast meteor shower, crashing to the earth with incessant roars.
Mountain King Grumm's main body also fell with this stone rain.
He had just landed heavily, and before he could even steady himself, he felt a blur before his eyes.
A crimson figure had already burst through the swirling dust, appearing beside him as if teleporting.
The Red Iron Dragon surged forward amidst the falling stone rain, his sharp claws, covered in dense Dragon Qi, grabbing at his ribs.
Rip!
The Crimson Lotus claws fiercely raked across the halo, emitting a grating, tearing sound!
This time, the halo of the Mountain Barrier twisted violently, being forcibly torn open, and the claws swept past, leaving deep cracks on the Mountain King's body.
"Ah—!"
Grumm let out an angry roar, swinging the earth ripper sideways, attempting to force back the Red Iron Dragon.
However, Galos, having activated his Crimson Lotus State, had completely overwhelmed the injured Grumm in terms of speed.
With a flash of red, Galos had already appeared on his other side, his Dragon tail like a heavy hammer, fiercely striking his knee joint.
Crack!
A chilling sound of shattering rang out.
The Mountain King's knee instantly shattered and deformed. He knelt heavily on one knee, slamming into the ground and creating a depression.
The surrounding mountain rocks seemed to be summoned, immediately gathering to quickly repair the wound on his knee.
He roared and swung his battle axe again.
Galos moved around him continuously, always narrowly avoiding the fatal edge of the axe blade, while his Dragon claws, Dragon tail, Dragon wings... every part of his body became a weapon, continuously pouring down upon the Mountain King, tearing open the Mountain Barrier again and again, leaving ghastly wounds on his body.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The aftermath of their battle continuously destroyed everything around them.
Nearby peaks were swept by the Dragon tail, their summits breaking and collapsing; hard rock faces were split with huge cracks by the battle axe's edge; the entire battlefield was a mess, as if it had endured a natural disaster.
Galos was like a death dancer, dancing on the edge of a knife.
He repeatedly charged, dodged, and counterattacked, flowing like water, his attacks relentless, like a violent storm, pressing Mountain King Grumm almost to the point of suffocation.
In Grumm's long career, he had encountered many opponents skilled in speed.
His usual strategy was to rely on his powerful defense and vitality to withstand the opponent's initial fierce attacks, then seize the moment of their attack interval or exhaustion to launch a thunderous counterattack, severely wounding or even killing them in one fell swoop.
However, the Red Iron Dragon's strengths were far more than just speed.
In the battle just now, the Mountain King had indeed, with his rich experience and foresight, seized two rare opportunities.
The axe blade of the earth ripper had indeed struck the Red Iron Dragon's body, leaving bone-deep wounds.
But, what gushed out from those wounds was not crimson blood, but scorching, burning flames, and the Red Iron Dragon's aura did not diminish.
Moreover, Galos could always absorb damage with the smallest cost.
Those two successful attacks had both landed on his toughest, thickest spots, not his weak points.
Facing a Red Iron Dragon whose speed was unbelievably fast, whose dodge rate was despairingly high, and whose physical strength and defense far exceeded his own estimations, the Mountain King's aura grew increasingly weak, and his movements became slower and more sluggish.
He finally realized that there was an insurmountable chasm between himself and this King of Molten Iron, who could defy Legends.
Even with a good piece of equipment, it couldn't bridge the gap.
One minute later.
Galos dodged a heavy, powerful chop from the Mountain King, his body suddenly soaring, then swooping down like a meteor, with the force of Mount Tai pressing down.
The Mountain King gasped heavily, his chest like a worn-out bellows.
He raised his head, looking at the constantly enlarging figure in the sky.
The seared Red Dragon body was covered with burning patterns, four ferocious Dragon arms were poised, and a pair of vertical pupils were deep and calm.
The King of Molten Iron before him seemed to have not yet used his full strength.
Grumm knew he had lost, lost completely.
But a voice within him was screaming wildly.
Cannot die! Absolutely cannot die here!
Otherwise, the echoes of Therasia, the obsession for revenge, the future of the tribe… all responsibilities and concerns would, today, with his death, turn to naught.
"No, I cannot die yet!"
"My great revenge is not yet avenged, my tribe awaits revival, how can I… how can I die here?!"
The Mountain King let out a hoarse roar.
He poured all his remaining strength, along with his longing for his homeland and his indignation at fate, into his Legendary equipment.
The earth ripper was raised high, humming and vibrating, its earthy yellow light blazing brighter than ever before.
This strike condensed his everything, it would be the strongest strike he had ever unleashed in his life! It was also his final struggle.
"Death throes."
Galos's diving figure showed no delay, instead accelerating again, as if to crush the Mountain King head-on in a direct confrontation.
Dragon Qi compressed around his body, especially at the fingertips of his four Dragon arms, where Dragon Qi energy was highly concentrated, as if holding four miniature stars.
"Kill!"
The Mountain King roared, and the dazzling earth ripper chopped down at the Red Iron Dragon.
The suppression effect of the Legendary equipment was pushed to its limit at this moment, the oppressive feeling stronger than ever before.
However, for Galos, who was at his peak state at this moment, it was still a bit lacking.
The Red Iron Dragon pushed his speed to the extreme, breaking free from the suppression and disappearing from his original spot before the Mountain King's strike landed.
Rip!
The attack, having lost its target, slammed heavily onto the earth.
The earth cracked and shattered like a fragile eggshell.
A gigantic trench, bottomless and astonishingly wide, instantly formed, extending wildly forward in a destructive manner. In its wake, it even cleanly split a several-hundred-meter-high mountain that stood in its path, from base to peak, into two.
At the same time, a gust of ill wind came from behind the Mountain King.
"No—!!!"
The Mountain King roared, his voice filled with grief and indignation.
But perhaps it was this ultimate despair and unwillingness that stirred some hidden potential within his body.
At this moment, the incredibly solid Legendary barrier began to shake, and his aura started to rise.
That longed-for Legendary realm, that state symbolizing a leap in power and life level, seemed to be right before his eyes, within reach!
The Mountain King's eyes showed joy.
However, at this very moment, the King of Molten Iron's four Dragon arms had already stretched back to their limit, the muscles on his arms bulging like coiled Dragons, as if four powerful bows drawn to full moon status.
Dense blood vessels also quickly appeared and spread in his eyes.
He unhesitatingly activated his Excited State, and then—boom!!!
Galos's attacks, like four falling meteors, slammed fiercely into the Mountain King almost simultaneously.
Crack—!!!
The Mountain Barrier completely shattered.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Four consecutive dull thuds!
Each of Galos's strikes left a huge void in the Mountain King's body, shattering his hard body inch by inch, finally disintegrating and breaking into countless pieces.
Countless dust and gravel mixed with raging flames shot skyward, then scattered down.
As the smoke and dust gradually cleared, on the ravaged earth, only the formidable and majestic crimson Dragon body of the King of Molten Iron remained, along with a ground full of gravel.
Four claws shattered a Legendary dream.
Mountain King Grumm, this exiled Giant with grand ambitions, was mercilessly ended just one step away from the Legendary realm.
Whether it was through the accumulation of geomantic energy over time, or a forced breakthrough under life-and-death pressure.
From beginning to end, Galos never gave him any chance.