Defeating the World with the Power of One Dragon!

Chapter 26: Primary Defense Runes

"So what can you do?"

Facing Garoth's final soul-searching question, Samantha puffed out her chest proudly like a swan and declared, "I can inscribe alchemical runes now! Primary defense runes!"

When mentioning the runes she had mastered, Samantha grew excited and said to Garoth, "Want me to inscribe some runes for you? I've already practiced on myself and my technique is quite proficient now. I guarantee no mistakes."

Samantha's tail curled around to the front, swaying before Garoth's eyes. On each gem-like crimson scale of her tail, one could see many crooked, worm-like markings crawling haphazardly in disarray. Yet among them were some gradually improving patterns—though rough, they showed definite promise. The progress in her technique was visibly evident.

"Alright then."

Garoth pondered briefly before nodding slowly.

He stood before Samantha, puffing out his chest and flexing his muscles to raise the gray buffer scales, revealing the black-and-red steel-forged scales beneath.

"Try inscribing one here first."

Samantha took a deep breath. Her dragon pupils narrowed as she focused intently, slowly carving into one of Garoth's chest scales with her claw. Magical energy gathered at her claw tip, glowing red-hot like a branding iron. Sparks flew as it scraped against Garoth's scales, producing a metallic screech that set teeth on edge.

As time passed, the scratches gradually formed a shield-like pattern. When Samantha completed the final stroke, a complete runic circuit took shape. While passable, it wasn't particularly aesthetically pleasing—a crude finished product that barely qualified as complete.Garoth narrowed his eyes. When the alchemical rune was fully constructed, he could distinctly feel something new about this particular scale. The magical energy flowing through his draconic blood converged there, causing the rune to light up and envelop the entire scale.

Garoth gently rubbed the scale. The texture felt strange—not like directly touching his own scale, but as if an invisible, resilient film had been plated onto it.

"Let's test its durability."

Garoth extended a sharp claw and pressed it against the scaled, gradually increasing pressure. The rune flickered uncertainly before dimming, cracking, and finally extinguishing completely with a crisp snap—the plated sensation disappearing entirely. So far, Garoth hadn't even exerted much force.

"Average defensive effect, nothing special."

He made his internal assessment.

However, one must remember that Samantha had only mastered the most basic, primary-level alchemical runes, and her inscription wasn't perfect—still quite rough. Yet it still provided measurable defensive effects. Once Samantha's alchemical skills improved further, using alchemy to enhance and strengthen draconic scales, claws and other body parts would be something worth anticipating.

"Not bad. Keep at it."

Garoth offered casual praise before dismissing Samantha to her own affairs.

"Don't you want me to inscribe more?"

She asked, clearly wanting to continue.

Inscribing on another living being felt different from practicing on herself, and Samantha wanted to improve her proficiency by carving primary defense runes on Garoth.

Garoth saw through her intentions and had no interest being a test subject. Glancing at Mobel the Earth Rampage Bear scratching its back against an iron fir tree, Garoth suggested, "Have Mobel accompany your practice. You can exchange runic enhancements for him hunting food for you."

Samantha didn't refuse, walking toward the Earth Rampage Bear. Upon hearing Samantha's proposition, the bear's eyes widened as it patted its chest and agreed immediately. Runic enhancements were something even its damned old father never got to enjoy, especially when performed by a true dragon. Mobel had no reason to refuse and was inwardly delighted.

Hiss!

When the red dragon's sharp claws broke its skin, Mobel growled lowly, gritting its teeth against the pain. Without dragon scales, the primary defense runes had to be inscribed directly onto skin—an uncomfortable but bearable process.

Withdrawing his gaze from the pair, Garoth pondered briefly before flying to his usual giant stone slab. Closing his eyes slightly, he coiled up and settled down. He wasn't sleeping, but rather delving into the spells hidden within his bloodline.

All dragons were natural-born sorcerers. Upon reaching certain ages, they would awaken some quasi-spell skills. But through active exploration, one could master them earlier. Typically, dragon whelps lacked quasi-spell abilities, relying mainly on claws and physical combat, with their breath weapon being the ultimate trump card.

Small Fireball.

Life Level Detection Technique.

These were skills Garoth had mastered early through his own exploration.

As his mind quieted and focused inward, Garoth could clearly feel the surging, dense magical energy like tides within his veins, flowing with his blood to every limb and corner of his body.

As natural apex magical creatures, dragons were born with innate magical energy. Through respiration, they could absorb magical energy from the air, storing it in their veins and gradually converting it for personal use.

Feeling the rhythmic undulations of magical energy and blood circulating within him, Garoth gradually emptied his mind, relying on instinct to sense the spell skills hidden in his bloodline. His Adaptive Evolution talent helped somewhat in this regard, though not as directly or noticeably as it did for physical enhancements.

But Garoth wasn't impatient. Time passed quietly as he calmly explored.

Before long...

A month had slipped by.

At a rugged, abandoned mining pit...

A red dragon whelp lay on the ground not far from the pit, seemingly napping. Its tail tapped the ground intermittently, though its eyes remained open, blinking occasionally with visible tension.

Before long...

A subterranean predator sensed the faint vibrations and approached stealthily.

When the distance closed sufficiently, the ground began trembling. The red whelp seemed to notice the anomaly, flapping its wings to take flight.

Boom!

Earth and stone bulged upward before rupturing, sending soil and rubble flying. The massive body of a Rockgrub Worm erupted vertically, its meat-grinder maw gaping toward the red whelp. But having already gained altitude, it only caught air before beginning its descent.

At that moment...

A black shadow swooped down faster than the worm's fall.

Thunk!

Sharp claws pierced through chitin, firmly gripping the worm's flesh.

Garoth beat his wings, the muscles beneath his scales erupting with tremendous strength as he wrenched the Level 7 Rockgrub Worm straight from the ground. The worm struggled futilely.

"Caught you! Hopefully this goes as planned for successful taming."

Carrying the Rockgrub Worm, Garoth felt a mental surge as he turned back toward Iron Fir Hills, with the red whelp Samantha closely following behind.