Translator: AnubisTL
Under the iron dragon's command, the legion of servants began to enter Dragon Valley in waves. Simultaneously, lizardfolk and kobolds scaled the steep cliffs on either side, starting construction on watchtowers and other fortifications.
The wyvern flock had also been fully accounted for.
It consisted of one mature female wyvern, Tasha; four adult wyverns; six young wyverns; and forty-six younger wyverns.
Together, they would provide the Ironforged Clan with a formidable aerial force.
As night fell like ink, Garos, having finally secured suitable territory, didn't rest. Instead, he eagerly began training.
Since the migration began, constant vigilance had been necessary, leaving him no time for proper exercise.
Now that things had settled down, and with a fresh group of sparring partners available, Garos couldn't resist the urge to train. He ordered Tasha and four other adult wyverns to surround him and attack without restraint. He wouldn't retaliate, focusing solely on enduring their attacks with his armored body.
The wyverns found this request puzzling.
Nevertheless, they obeyed without question, unleashing a relentless assault on Garos.
The wyverns soared into the night sky, diving repeatedly with powerful talons tearing at Garos's flesh.
Subdragons possessed greater strength than ferocious beasts and demonic creatures of comparable size. Their attacks, Garos had to admit, were far more satisfying than those of earthstorm bears or ogres.
With each metallic clang, sparks flew like molten iron.
Garos's explosive scales quickly turned crimson, glowing like red-hot steel.
At this point, he ordered the wyvern flock to halt their assault and plunged into the icy lake at its center.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Steam billowed like quenching steel as his explosive scales gradually cooled, returning to their usual dark gray hue. He then resumed the wyvern flock's assault.
Using the frenzy state to directly stimulate his explosive scales would have been faster.
However, the frenzy state provided only intense heat stimulation without any impact force. This method couldn't further enhance the scales' buffering and energy absorption capabilities. Moreover, the wyverns' attacks combined blunt force with clawing and tearing, improving the scales' defense against sharp weapons—a more comprehensive enhancement than simply ramming mountains or Sun-Earth.
Garos hoped this method would gradually drive his explosive scales to evolve again.
He no longer needed their explosive properties, but he wanted to preserve their fundamental buffering and energy absorption abilities. Beyond that, Garos desired two specific evolutionary outcomes:
First, the ability to channel absorbed energy back into his own body.
In this way, by using this defensive layer to withstand damage and gradually wear down his opponents, Garos could maintain peak condition without expending any stamina.
Secondly, he could accumulate the absorbed energy and unleash it in a single, devastating burst.
By first absorbing damage, then releasing all the stored energy in a single strike, combined with his frenzy state, Garos could deliver an attack far exceeding his normal limits. This would allow him to defeat stronger opponents and potentially turn the tide of battle in an instant.
Of course, the ideal outcome would be to combine both capabilities, allowing him to either continuously replenish his energy or concentrate it for a single, devastating strike, depending on the situation.
However, this seemed highly impractical.
Garos currently had no idea how to evolve in this direction. Even after consuming fairy scale powder, he couldn't devise a viable method. For now, he could only focus on refining his explosive scales, first preventing them from detonating, and then devising further evolutionary strategies based on future developments.
Meanwhile, the wyverns' attacks covered large areas of his body.
Garos's thorn spikes snapped off, simultaneously tearing through the wyverns' tough leg scales, leaving deep gashes.
At the points where the spikes broke off, he felt a distinct tingling, itching sensation. This often indicated that those areas, having undergone years of adaptation and accumulated sufficient energy, were undergoing rapid evolution.
Garos hadn't specifically trained his thorn spikes.
However, during every battle and training session, some of the spikes would break or become damaged. Through repeated regeneration and wear, they had finally reached a point where evolution was imminent.
The evolution of the thorn spikes was now within reach.
Unfortunately, Garos was more concerned with the evolution of his explosive scales and dragon heart, but he had no idea how long that would take.
After training for a while longer, Garos's gaze shifted slightly, and he signaled the wyvern flock to halt.
"Retreat and rest," he commanded.
Most of the wyverns were exhausted, their claws bleeding. At his words, they scattered like released prisoners, eager to escape.
Only Tasha, the flying dragon leader, remained energized.
Her superior physique wasn't innate; she had cultivated it through relentless training, surpassing her kin in diligence. Though she couldn't match Garos's level, her efforts had set her apart from the rest.
"My lord," Tasha said, "command me whenever you wish to train. I am eager to serve."
Currently, she was the only familiar who found satisfaction and aspiration in sparring with Garos.
Meanwhile, Frostfang arrived at the lakeside, followed by two werewolves carrying Russell on a stretcher.
"Dragon Lord," Frostfang greeted.
Russell was weak, struggling to rise from the stretcher to offer a bow, but he accidentally fell to the ground. Werewolves helped him up, and he managed to stand upright with difficulty.
Exploring the unknown lands was a perilous task.
During a previous skirmish, the flying dragon leader had mercilessly struck Russell with a ferocious tail blow, shattering his ribs and piercing his body with its venomous tail spikes.
Afterward, the flying dragon leader sucked out the poison blood, but toxins had already corroded Russell's internal organs, exacerbating his already severe injuries.
The werewolves applied medicinal salves to his wounds and fed him healing potions obtained through trade. Frostfang, the shaman, also communicated with the healing spirit to aid his recovery.
These measures had improved Russell's condition significantly, but they couldn't fully heal him.
He wouldn't die immediately, but he was too weak to fight again.
"Please forgive me for being unable to offer a proper bow," Russell said, his voice strained but still respectful before the red-iron dragon.
Garos lowered his gaze to the werewolf who had followed him since the beginning.
At this moment, the creature resembled the old shaman from long ago, who had been so frail he could barely walk. Both were now on the brink of death, their lives hanging by a thread.
"No need to bow," Garos said. "You have already proven your loyalty to me."
Frostfang knelt before him, pleading, "Great dragon lord, grant my father the chance to continue serving you."
The opportunity she sought was dragon blood transformation.
Russell had been an excellent leader, whether commanding the Howling Moon Clan or the Crimson Iron Cavalry. His superior intelligence and foresight, surpassing those of ordinary monsters, allowed him to excel in both managing his subordinates and executing orders from above.
Garos lowered his gaze, studying the werewolf.
The dragon blood he had collected and stored could transform more than one dragon blood retainer. Russell had already been under consideration, along with Ogre Ugo and Hyena-Man Hodge.
(End of the Chapter)
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