novelraw Chapter 315: Legendary Followers, Humanoid Beating
Chapter 315: Legendary Followers, Humanoid Beating
"Seraphina, Ludwig."
When the deep, concentrated voice of the red iron dragon reached the whispering black and green dragons, both of them jolted as if doused with ice water. They shot upright from their curled positions, turned in unison toward the dragon herd leader, and snapped into a rigid, solemn stance, not daring to breathe loudly.
"No need to be so nervous."
Garoth's gaze swept over the two adolescent dragons as he asked, "How is the research on the Dragon-Forge Modification ritual I assigned you progressing?"
The green dragon Ludwig relaxed slightly at those words.
He lifted his long neck covered in emerald scales and replied respectfully, "After multiple repeated experiments and study, we've determined the Dragon-Forge Modification ritual should follow a simple-to-complex, step-by-step progression."
"For example, the first rite focuses on Dragon Scale Modification, while the final, most central and difficult rite will be Dragon Heart Modification."
The black dragon Seraphina lowered her voice and added:
"We have already successfully designed the complete procedure and rune array for the first Dragon Scale Modification rite, but at present it is not perfect—its stability needs improvement.... The current success rate is only about three out of ten."
Three out of ten?For a ritual that involves transforming the essence of life, even a simplified, decomposed rite having a thirty percent success rate is a significant breakthrough.
"The task you are undertaking is crucial to the tribe’s future."
Garoth said solemnly, "For every modification rite you successfully perfect and stabilize, I will grant you rewards beyond imagination—wealth, knowledge, or power. I will not disappoint you."
After promising generous rewards, his gaze slowly swept across the gathered follower leaders.
"Master... M-Master, congratulations on waking and returning."
Noticing Garoth's attention, the Gluttonous Ogre Karu—who had been gnawing on a huge unfamiliar piece of beast meat, grease dripping from his mouth—mumbled in a booming voice, "B-but... you look a little... thinner? Hmm, must be from sleeping too long and not eating enough! You should eat more, eat more."
Garoth carefully inspected this veteran follower of the Molten Iron Tribe.
Now the Gluttonous Ogre Karu was covered in fiery red dragon scales, a hunting-style dragon horn sprouted from his head, and a thick powerful dragon tail trailed behind him—his whole body radiated pronounced dragon-vein characteristics.
His body had long since left the category of ordinary ogres, swelling to a terrifying, hill-like giant size, exceptionally burly and muscular. The muscles on his arms bulged like explosions, with veins and cords standing out. Among the bizarre-shaped follower leaders, his physique was still the most eye-catching.
A gleam flashed in Garoth's eyes as he used a detection technique.
[Gluttonous Ogre Karu, Life Level: 16]
One level lower than Garoth at present, but already a formidable combatant capable of independent action.
Given the Gluttonous Ogre's terrifying bloodline talent to grow strong rapidly through devouring, this rate of advancement seemed not especially fast—after all, Karu had swallowed countless powerful creatures and magical materials during the Molten Iron Tribe's southern and northern campaigns.
Theoretically, his life level should be higher.
The reason lay in that Karu was no longer a pure Gluttonous Ogre.
He was now a stronger Dragon-blooded Gluttonous Ogre, fused with the bloodline of an ancient long-lived dragon.
This greatly raised his potential ceiling, but it also subjected him to the dragon bloodline's comparatively slow growth cycle, which slowed the rate of life-level advancement.
"Regardless, after ten or so years, the tribe leaders' overall progress is quite good."
Garoth thought, and his gaze continued across the other follower heads as he repeatedly deployed his detection.
[Centaur Elvy, Life Level: 16]
[Werewolf Russell, Life Level: 14]
[Serpent Woman Narys, Life Level: 17]
[Flying Dragon Tasha, Life Level: 14]
[Kobold Dag, Life Level: 13]
.........
The Molten Iron Tribe's core leaders each had distinguishing traits. Almost every one had been tempered by blood and fire, possessed extraordinary experiences and unique qualities, varied trump cards, and high morale.
Under normal circumstances,
an ordinary adult dragon, even some mature dragons, would find it hard to truly rule such a talent-filled, strong-populated tribe.
Only Garoth could, with a life level only slightly higher than some followers, firmly control the entire tribe through unrivaled prestige and unfathomable power.
Before he ascended to young dragon, his life level had even once been lower than several of his strongest followers.
Now, among these follower leaders, the highest level remained the serpentfolk Sword Saint Narys—she had risen from level 16 to 17.
The fastest riser, however, was the half-blood centaur Elvy.
At first, Elvy's life level wasn't especially remarkable among the followers, but with exceptional talent she gradually overtook others, and now firmly stood at the threshold of level 16, second only to the serpentfolk Sword Saint.
As for who among these leaders was the best fighter, the most battle-capable—
Garoth believed it was the Gluttonous Ogre Karu, the one currently gorging himself, not the higher-level serpentfolk Sword Saint.
Although Karu was one level lower, in direct combat he held absolute dominance.
Over time, Garoth favored Karu and the half-blood centaur Elvy; with their bloodlines and talents they would likely surpass the serpentfolk Sword Saint in the future, even reaching legendary rank.
However,
if nothing unexpected happened midstream, the first under the Molten Iron Tribe to step into the legendary realm might not be them, but the Lord Flower—Shire Hynes—far away in the Ser Wilderness.
Ximu Town had developed over the years into a scale akin to a small city and had been renamed Ximu Domain.
Because the Ser Wilderness required a sufficiently weighty strongman to hold the fort and guard against contingencies, Shire, who served as domain lord, did not come to the convergence lands to attend the feast. He remained within Ximu Domain, celebrating the king's return with local residents and garrison troops.
Humans have many flaws—short lifespans, fragile bodies—but those among them who are true geniuses can grow at unparalleled speed.
The talent gap between humans sometimes far exceeds the gap between dragons.
Shire had a very high possibility of becoming the first legendary.
"If Shire becomes legendary first, the magical contract he signed back then will likely no longer bind him."
A line of thought crossed Garoth's mind.
The magical contract used in his bet with Shire was not at the legendary tier. Once Shire himself ascended to legendary, the contract's effect would naturally dissipate.
At that time, whether he would still be willing to remain in Ximu Domain to serve the Molten Iron Tribe would be uncertain.
But crossing the threshold to legendary was no easy feat—not something to be taken lightly.
Shire's talent was strong, but not to the perverse degree of the Lothrian Holy King. Considering his loyal, honorable character, there was no need to worry in the short term.
Out of habitual caution, Garoth looked to the iron dragon Sorog.
"Sorog, what's Shire's current state? Does he feel enough belonging toward Ximu Domain and the Molten Iron Tribe?"
The iron dragon fell silent for a few seconds; an odd expression flickered across his huge dragon face.
He said, "That Lord Flower? His belonging goes beyond mere attachment—now he probably wouldn't want to leave even if you told him to."
Seeing Sorog's strange expression, Garoth pressed, "What do you mean? Explain."
Sorog emitted a low, slightly teasing chuckle and said, "He has formally married and started a family in Ximu Domain."
"And his wife is not human—she is a... well, an exceptionally beautiful and charming serpent woman."
Garoth brightened at the words.
No wonder Sorog had shown that expression.
This iron dragon himself favored serpentfolk, so he was surprised to find that the Flower Knight—who looked broad-browed and upright—shared a similar aesthetic and had chosen an exotic mate.
At that moment, the six-armed serpent woman leader Narys glided forward gracefully and added, "Lord, Beveline is a young sorceress of our tribe with considerable talent—delicate-minded and tactful. She was selected to be Lord Flower's administrative assistant to help handle daily affairs of the domain."
"After spending a long time together, perhaps affection grew, and with the blessings of all in Ximu Domain, they formally became husband and wife."
Hearing the explanation, Garoth gave Narys a meaningful look.
He thought Shire's marriage to a serpent woman was partly due to his personal taste, but likely also aided by subtle pushes and careful arrangement.
Yet such small maneuvers were harmless.
Garoth did not oppose followers engaging in reasonable competition or schemes to elevate their status and influence—such things were inevitable in a group.
Even the most core and utterly loyal dragon-vein followers had desires and demands of their own.
As long as these actions remained within reasonable limits and did not harm the tribe's overall interests, he could tolerate them.
But if anyone dared to betray or seriously damage the Molten Iron Tribe... then the red dragon's enforcers would be more than happy to teach those traitors what true misery meant.
As dawn tinged the sky gray, the grand banquet that had lasted through the night finally neared its end.
Followers began busily clearing debris and tidying the site.
All the great dragons left Scorchsteel Fortress and gathered on a vast, snow-covered plain outside Dragon Valley.
The humanoid duel between Garoth and Alberto would formally begin here.
One by one, dragons of various sizes wheeled and circled in the lead-gray low sky, their enormous wings whipping up howling gusts that even drowned out the valley's ever-present wind and snow.
Their gazes focused on the snowy battlefield below.
The biting wind carried ice crystals that lashed at the two principals.
Garoth and Alberto faced each other. Reflected in their dragon pupils were each other's silhouettes, and then two transformation ritual glows surged from their bodies, enveloping them.
When the light faded, two very different humanoids stood in place.
On one side stood the lithe, well-proportioned, handsome and dazzling Alberto.
On the other stood Garoth—over two meters tall, towering like a mountain, bare-chested and unashamed against the whirling snow—his muscles seemed forged of steel, each block protruding beneath his skin, veins and tendons intertwining like dragons.
They were only a hundred meters apart; the cold air between them seemed to freeze.
Alberto flexed his fingers; ancient oath runes flowed along his arm and condensed into the Spear of Conquest, symbolizing power and vow, which he steadied in his grip.
He looked at the imposing figure opposite him without fear and asked loudly, "Garoth, ready?"
Garoth did not answer. He began to move.
He stretched his thick arms, lightly shifted on his toes and danced with coordinated, catlike motions in place—each move filled with explosive power and astounding coordination.
This unexpected agility made Alberto's confident expression stiffen; unease welled in his heart.
A newly transformed dragon who had just learned humanoid form should be clumsy and beastlike, crawling or leaning on all fours. But what did he see?
Garoth's movements were not one bit awkward—his footwork was light as if he had long been used to this body!
"Begin."
Garoth stopped his warm-up and spoke calmly.
His knees bent slightly. The taut muscles in his calves, like twisted steel ropes, snapped tight and even emitted a grating creak.
In the next instant—
Sizz! Sizz!
Brilliant golden lightning mixed with Dragon Qi erupted from his towering body, surging and boiling! The ferocious energy made his black-red hair stand on end; the light and lightning danced wildly.
The surrounding snow vaporized instantly; the frozen earth beneath his feet collapsed and shattered, blasting out a massive crater.
By the time the deafening explosion reached Alberto's ears, Garoth's black-red lightning form had already torn through wind and snow and lunged to his front.
So fast!
Alberto's pupils constricted; relying on his battle-honed instincts, he instinctively raised the Spear of Conquest to block.
!!!
A dull, leathery-smashing boom detonated. A visible white shockwave spread outward from the two of them, ripping up countless drifts of snow!
What startled Alberto even more were the two pitch-black arms composed entirely of condensed Dragon Qi that materialized behind Garoth. Together with Garoth's real arms, the four limbs unleashed a torrential barrage—dozens, even hundreds of fist shadows exploding out like a storm.
Clang clang clang clang!
The Spear of Conquest in Alberto's hands trembled violently under that overwhelming force, nearly ripped free. He was driven backward step by step, leaving deep prints in the frozen earth with every retreat.
Before he could regain his balance, Garoth twisted his waist using his left leg as an axis.
That muscular, vein-ridged right leg lashed out like a true dragon tail, slicing the air with a terrifying wail and striking with brutal force.
No escape!
Boom!
Alberto felt an irresistible, crushing force; his body flew as if hurled by a catapult, lifted uncontrollably into the air.
Almost simultaneously as he was kicked aloft, the ground beneath Garoth exploded again.
His hulking form launched skyward, catching up to the airborne, powerless Alberto. His right leg rose high, wrapped in blinding golden electricity, and descended like a battle axe splitting mountain and stone.
Shatter—!
Alberto was hammered back to the ground like a meteor, stirring up a blizzard of snow.
As he struggled to rise, the gargantuan, demonic figure descended with him like an inescapable shadow, stomping down with unmatched might.
At the last critical moment, a phantom crown formed above Alberto's head, emitting a fierce radiance; he rolled just in time to narrowly avoid the fatal stomp.
"It's over! Completely over!"
"How is he so proficient in humanoid form?! This doesn't look like his first time!"
"I finally—finally almost paid off my debt! Now it will have to be recalculated! And it'll be even more!"
Alberto roared and wailed in his mind, but his face uncontrollably twisted into an absurd grin bordering on hysteria, a look of desperate ridicule.
He could already clearly foresee his crushing defeat.
If there weren't so many dragons watching, he might have surrendered on the spot and begged Garoth to at least halve his debt.
Then,
Alberto gritted his teeth, gathered every ounce of spirit, pushed away all distractions, and committed wholly to resisting Garoth's torrential assault.
Humanoid Garoth retained terrifying power and speed; his offense was like endless waves, battering Alberto relentlessly so that Alberto could only parry and had no hope of counterattacking.
Alberto abandoned thoughts of counterstrike.
He focused on defense, hoping only to hold out a while longer, not to lose too quickly or disgracefully, to salvage a fragment of dignity.
As time passed,
the solid ground below fractured and shattered again and again under Garoth's stomps and Alberto's impacts, while the surrounding wind and snow were torn apart and scattered by roaring aura.
Under the silent, focused observation of many dragons in the sky, this near-one-sided thrashing slowly approached an inevitable end.
After what felt like an interminable few minutes,
At last!
The Spear of Conquest in Alberto's hand was blasted clean away by a heavy punch and spun into the distant snow.
Then Garoth's fist—embodied with terrifying force—smashed into Alberto's already-faded Sacred Armor phantom, mercilessly stamping on his face now bruised and disfigured.
!
A final particularly savage, heavy straight punch struck Alberto squarely in the chest!
Wah!
A mouthful of golden dragon blood sprayed out. He flew backward like a kite with its string cut.
In midair, with a flash of intense magical light, he could no longer maintain humanoid form; his massive golden dragon true form burst out and he crashed down heavily, rolling and gouging a long furrow until slamming into a snow-covered knoll, where he finally stopped, eyes shut, seemingly completely knocked unconscious.
"So fragile?"
Garoth raised an eyebrow slightly and suppressed the roaring Dragon Qi and lightning around him, puzzled.
He judged that although his blows were not light, they should not have knocked Alberto utterly senseless—given golden dragons' physical constitution, Alberto should have resisted longer.
In fact, Garoth's judgment was correct.
To avoid harsh reality, the noble Golden Dragon Alberto, after a flash of fierce internal debate, decisively chose to feign unconsciousness.
If he had been the proud, straightforward Alberto of old—who treated honor as life—he would never have done this.
But now,
in his feigned unconsciousness Alberto secretly recited: fleeing is shameful, but it works.