novelraw Chapter 377: Don’t Ask, The Answer Is Sweat
Chapter 377: Don’t Ask, The Answer Is Sweat
After the war council ended, the Molten Iron Tribe, which had been quiet in the northwest region for a while, once again bared its fangs and claws.
Ogres, centaurs, serpentfolk, werewolves, kobolds, lizardfolk, gnolls.
Countless different races, all equally ferocious, the Molten Iron soldiers were already fully armed, radiating murderous intent.
Immediately after, through orders sent down from the great dragons to each mid- and lower-level follower leader, the followers were rapidly mixed and rallied, finally forming an army that seemed capable of crushing any obstacle before it.
That was not all.
On the Lionheart Plain, in the No-Light Forest, the Lost-Track Marshes, and the lush woods,
several feudal lords likewise led their own underlings—ferocious beasts and magical beast legions of differing styles but equal strength—like rivers converging into the sea, they surged forth from different directions, sweeping out their domains and gradually joining the main Molten Iron forces.
The earth trembled slightly under their march, and the air filled with a thickening scent of war.
Huff! Huff! Huff!
Huge, heavily armored dragons circled and swept under the low-hanging clouds, casting suffocating shadows. Among them, none was more conspicuous than the Lord of Molten Iron.“Gold Dragon Alberto, iron dragon Leticia, they will also come to fight.”
The red iron dragon’s glare was as sharp as a blade, sweeping over the growing, massive formation.
“The objective of this battle is clear: crush the Dominik Dragon Cluster in one blow, and never give those blue dragons the chance to use their speed advantage.”
He thought to himself.
The first battle would be decisive; one battle to settle the fate of all!
This was the Molten Iron Tribe’s chosen war strategy.
Simple, direct, brutal.
It also matched Garoth’s current mood.
As time passed, the anger inside him bred by the frenzied flame quietly accumulated further. It needed release, and the Dominik Cluster would make a perfect target.
Soon, a dazzling golden dragon silhouette, like sunlight tearing through the gloom, charged in from the distant horizon.
Even the dim sky beneath the clouds could not fully hide his resplendent golden scales.
He approached swiftly and revealed his full form.
It was Alberto, the gold dragon—muscles bulging, strength exceeding that of similarly sized red dragons.
Yet Alberto’s majestic, stern dragon face was now shrouded in an obvious gloom; he was clearly in a foul mood.
Having just exchanged a few words, Garoth understood the reason for his bad temper.
Alberto had painstakingly developed a territory in the northeast region, but not long ago, giants under the Mountain King launched a sudden assault and, like a flood, destroyed the land he had built, reducing years of effort to nothing.
“I’m very angry right now.”
Alberto hovered before the red iron dragon and said, “Garoth, your message came at the perfect time. I’m not a match for the Mountain King yet, so I can’t take revenge directly, but I can take some of this anger out on those blue dragons who don’t know when to die and personally tear down that vile order that makes me sick!”
He did not bother to hide the fact he was venting his anger.
“He can’t ask you to avenge him against the Mountain King.”
The red iron dragon said with a cheerful tone, “If you ask in a way that’s sincere enough and pleases me, I might consider granting it. Those giants who can’t fly, barring any surprises, will likely be easier to handle than the blue dragon cluster.”
Gold Dragon Alberto decisively shook his head.
“No. I will handle this on my own.”
His tone rose slightly as he told the red iron dragon, “I have a strong premonition that my youth phase slumber will soon arrive. Perhaps, after the shock of this battle, I will formally enter that sleep.”
“When I wake next time, I’ll be an adult. With my talent and the sweat I’ve poured in, my life level will very likely jump straight to Level 18.”
A newly adult gold dragon usually averages around Level 16.
Alberto, still in his youth phase, already rivaled an ordinary adult dragon.
He was confident that this slumber and metamorphosis would push him to Level 18, surpassing Garoth in life level.
“By then...”
Alberto’s gaze refocused on Garoth, rekindled with fighting spirit: “I will challenge you again and wash away my humiliation!”
At the thought of a qualitative leap in power after slumber, a huge increase in life level, the gold dragon’s confidence swelled.
Only then did he belatedly notice that the red iron dragon’s body seemed even larger and more hulking than the last time they met, and the life aura radiating from him was increasingly profound, as if he had broken through a barrier.
His heart sank a bit, and hesitantly he asked, “By the way, what level are you now?”
The Life Level Detection Technique could not reveal the level of someone much higher than itself. Alberto knew Garoth’s level must exceed his, but he guessed the gap wouldn’t be too large.
At least once he woke, he would likely overtake him.
“Only Level 18, nothing special.”
The red iron dragon replied casually.
Gold Dragon Alberto: “.....”
He fell silent, as if an invisible hand had clamped his throat. His once-high spirits froze instantly, and he was dumbstruck for a long while.
“How did you rise so fast?!” After a few seconds, Alberto could not help but demand.
The red iron dragon spoke slowly: “All thanks to sweat.”
The gold dragon was silent again.
There was no help for it; a low-probability event had happened. No way around it; the other seemed to be cheating.
“Forget what I said about the challenge.”
He withdrew his earlier request to duel.
Challenging Garoth at the same level? No way. He didn’t have even a ten percent chance; to defeat that monster he’d need to be at least one level higher.
Having failed many times, Alberto was painfully aware of the gap between him and Garoth.
“By the way, one more thing.”
Alberto quickly changed the subject to hide his frustration: “My territory was destroyed by the Mountain King’s giants and turned into a mess. During my slumber, I’d like to temporarily lodge in Dragon Valley.”
Dragons are not extremely weak during their slumber, but being disturbed and waking midway reduces the effect. A safe, secluded place was crucial.
Garoth nodded: “Fine, Dragon Valley has room for you. I will take you in.”
Alberto’s dragon face darkened.
He stiffly straightened his neck and said, “A noble gold dragon does not accept charity! I will pay!”
Garoth tilted his massive head and said, “Am I mistaken? You still owe me those payments from before.”
The gold dragon’s expression froze—he’d been hit where it hurt—and he flicked his golden tail in annoyance.
“I’ll start warming up for the coming battle!”
He awkwardly shifted the topic: “The debt… can be discussed later, later!”
With that, he flapped his broad golden dragon wings and flew away from the red iron dragon, then began stretching and diving in the air nearby as ordinary warm-up exercises.
The gold dragon had sworn an oath long ago. Later he discovered there were loopholes to circumvent it, but proud Alberto did not choose that path permanently. Apart from occasional rest, he still kept to his oath, honing himself through intense training in hopes of catching up to Garoth.
Garoth lowered his gaze and looked at the Molten Iron Legion below.
Suddenly he remembered something and summoned iron dragon Sorog, who was coordinating the legion’s deployment not far away.
Garoth’s thoughts flickered back to that clash with Red Dragon Father. He asked in a low voice, “What ultimately happened to that father’s corpse?”
“The frenzied flame on his body can be transferred through blood, very dangerous. But on the other hand, if it could be controlled, it might become a strategic weapon.”
Iron dragon Sorog cocked his head and shook it slightly at Garoth’s words.
“No. I conducted multiple cautious tests afterward. His blood does not infect contacted creatures with frenzied flame.”
“Not only the blood, but no trace of the frenzied flame was detected on any part of his corpse. We tried various known transmission methods and observed no infection or transfer.”
Sorog looked at the red iron dragon solemnly.
“Garoth, the frenzied flame inside you does not spread through simple blood contact.”
“It probably acts on you through some more elusive means.”
He said in a grave tone: “I firmly believe you can eventually master it completely, but its origin is mysterious. Until we fully understand it, we must not be careless.”
A mysteriously vanished meteorite from the sky, somehow transferring the frenzied flame onto him… Garoth understood its mystery and danger, but information was limited and he couldn’t probe roots now; he had to proceed step by step.
“Focus on the upcoming war first.”
The red iron dragon suppressed his churning thoughts, his gaze like a torch as he looked toward the dark, oppressive sky over the central region.
Sorog nodded, said no more, and turned back to command the final merging and reorganization of the legions.
After some time,
the various lords’ differently styled beastly armies fully merged with the Molten Iron Tribe’s main force,
and a massive army composed of countless races, yet radiating unified will and deadly cold, took shape.
It resembled a resurrected primordial behemoth, resolutely advancing forward.
It crushed through dense forests, rolled over undulating hills, and swept across roaring rivers—carrying the momentum to obliterate any obstruction—marching grandly toward the central region where the Dominik Cluster was concentrated!
At the same time, in the central wilderness, at the core of the Dominik Cluster’s territory,
“Zoraya, my dear daughter, you returned unscathed from the Lord of Molten Iron’s lands. I am sincerely pleased.”
Perest, Heart of Thunder said evenly as he looked at blue dragon Zoraya standing respectfully before him.
However, he paused slightly, his lightning-laced dragon eyes fixed on his offspring as his tone shifted.
“Yet I find it somewhat surprising that our negotiations with the Ignas Dragon Cluster broke down and war is about to erupt—why did the Lord of Molten Iron not strike at you?”
His voice remained low and revealed little emotion; it sounded casual, but it also carried an interrogative edge.
Under his father’s gaze that seemed to see through hearts, blue dragon Zoraya lifted her head and wore the same expression as always—a mix of awe and obedience—with no hint of difference or defiance.
“Father, I survived because the Lord of Molten Iron is extremely arrogant and presumptuous.”
Zoraya began to explain: “He took a liking to me and his words were full of desecration and insult; he intended to make me his plaything.”
She paused slightly and continued: “However, he appears to lack genuine interest in anything he could easily obtain.”
“He boasted that he would personally lead his legions to utterly crush our Dominik Cluster.”
“He wanted all our dragons to tremble and beg under his might! Then, in his absolute victor’s posture, he would trample me underfoot and force me to kneel and submit to win my favor.”
Those words indeed sounded like something the notorious domineering red-iron dragon might say.
Perest narrowed his eyes and scrutinized every change on Zoraya’s face, listening intently to every detail in her speech.
On the surface, he found nothing unusual.
“The Lord of Molten Iron, ha—what a presumptuous, clueless fellow.”
Perest shook his head and said: “Killing Gorthax has blinded him. He now mistakenly thinks he can treat all opponents the same.”
“But that was merely a mad dragon. With proper strategy, dealing with him isn’t too difficult.”
“He thinks that by luckily killing a mad king, he can easily win against our Dominik Cluster that has endured for centuries?”
Zoraya secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Her greatest fear was that her father would sense the rebellion blossoming in her heart, but it looked like her long-maintained disguise had effectively lowered his suspicion.
What followed would be a crucial period for war with the Ignas Cluster.
Knowing her father’s extreme self-interest, as long as she still had value, she need not worry he’d kill her at this turning point.
She immediately agreed with a tone full of assent: “Father, you are right!”
“He is arrogant and ignorant; he will surely pay a painful price for his folly!”
Though she spoke those words, inside she was utterly alert. From the Lord of Molten Iron’s earlier behavior, he was no mere reckless fool.
If her father treated him simply as a braggart, Perest would ultimately harm himself.
That outcome pleased her.
Perest no longer focused on his daughter. He fixed his gaze on the distant horizon.
Now the clouds thickened even more, wrapping the sky; silver serpents of lightning crazily slashed within the clouds, and a deep, rumbling thunder rolled in.
The wilderness’s rainy season had not ended.
In these weather conditions, the blue dragons—the storm dragons—could unleash far stronger power, an undeniable advantage.
Yet Perest had not fully decided whether to wage a full-scale war with the considerable Ignas Dragon Cluster just to punish a handful of insignificant youth traitors.
Indeed, maintaining the clan’s rules is important.
But if the cost of enforcing those rules is too great, even shaking the dragon cluster’s foundation, then the price would be too high.
This blue dragon leader valued rules, but valued practical benefit more; he weighed the pros and cons.
Fight now, or yield a bit to secure alliance?
Perest pondered inwardly, leaning slightly toward the latter.
At that moment,
an adult blue dragon streaked in from afar, arcs of crackling electricity coiling around its body. Its wings beat fiercely as it landed hastily before the leader.
“Leader! Emergency military report!”
The adult blue dragon urgently reported: “The Molten Iron Tribe has gathered an extremely large legion and is advancing en masse toward our territory!”
The assembly and march of a large-scale legion creates tremendous noise; ordinary concealment magic cannot fully hide it.
Therefore, when the Molten Iron army broke through the Dominik Cluster’s border warning line, they detected this huge threat almost immediately.
Szzzt—!
Denser, more blinding arcs of electricity leapt across Perest’s deep-blue scales.
His facial expression visibly darkened at once.
He hadn’t expected that while he was still weighing decisions, the enemy would already advance so aggressively, coming with no mercy.
And they could assemble such a large legion in so short a time.
This could only mean that even before they sent envoys to negotiate, the Ignas Cluster had likely been preparing for war in secret!
“Relay my orders!”
Perest suppressed the surge of anger in his chest and said in a deep voice: “Summon every combat-capable dragon in the clan! Notify all followers: prepare for war!”
He raised his head and roared; the dragon cries echoed off the cliffs.
“Fight according to our established contingency plans! Let those reckless rabble personally learn the fury and storm of our blue dragon clan!”
The orders were like a mountain.
In an instant, blue dragon shadows unfurled their wings and surged into the sky, mixed with a few other-colored draconic shapes—some bulky, some agile, some old, some young—racing rapidly in different directions.
Zoraya did not hesitate either.
She launched herself, shaking her wings and flying into the stormy heights, joining the streaking dragon silhouettes.
Boom—boom—boom!!!
In the sky, the lightning between the clouds seemed to be drawn by the blue dragons’ battle intent, becoming denser and more violent than ever. The deafening thunderclaps burst repeatedly; silver serpents writhed as if brewing a massive storm.
Perest glanced up at the battlefield sky seemingly crafted for him, and his heavy breathing gradually became steady and long.
“With such heavenly timing, to wage war against us storm dragons—”
“Presumptuous, ignorant red iron dragon, you will soon regret your decision!”
The mature blue dragon leader whispered while spreading giant wings patterned with countless veins of lightning. His body became a thunderbolt that defied the heavens, shooting upward at a speed the eye could scarcely track, and in a blink he plunged into the roiling, dense clouds.