novelraw Chapter 443: Three Claws Shatter the King’s Soul, I Am the True Lord of the North
Chapter 443: Three Claws Shatter the King’s Soul, I Am the True Lord of the North
“The Permafrost Tundra in the north should not be a breeding ground for a giant kingdom, nor should it become a stepping stone threatening our heartland.”
Through the psychic network, the Red Iron Dragon’s voice rang steady as he spoke to his two kin,
He had already made up his mind and prepared to march into the ice plains.
At the same time, as the supreme ruler of the Aola Kingdom, the Red Iron Dragon felt it necessary to give a brief explanation.
“Frost giants? Kill them all! Kill them without mercy!”
Samantha’s first reaction was an unrestrained bloodthirsty frenzy.
But then, thinking of something, her reason quickly took over and she added, “Wait, I just remembered... frost giant blood makes an excellent coolant. Our growing alchemical industry desperately needs that kind of material.”
“Maybe we don’t have to slaughter every single giant.”
“We can eliminate their leaders and hardliners, then capture and enslave the ordinary giants! I’ll use their blood to fertilize and expand Aola’s alchemical industry!”
Just as frost giants took pride in enslaving dragons,for orthodox dragons, to be able to enslave a long-standing enemy like giants is likewise a boast-worthy achievement and honor.
“There’s an ingrained hatred toward us dragons stamped in the giants’ bloodline, so subduing and controlling them won’t be easy.”
Garoth first pointed out the difficulty, but his tone then shifted slightly, and he said slowly, “However, it’s not entirely impossible.”
“We can try leaving behind some relatively docile individuals and conduct long-term domestication and enslavement experiments.”
He held no deep-seated racial prejudice against the giant species itself; this consideration was purely driven by the kingdom’s interests.
In the distant, glorious First Age, giants had been one of the favored and relied-upon servile races of the ancient dragons.
Back then, those magnificent dragon palaces and cities were primarily built by enslaved giant tribes.
The Aola Kingdom was in a period of rapid construction; having a workforce of giant servants for building grand structures or extracting heavy resources would greatly benefit the kingdom’s development.
Beside him, the iron dragon Sorog nodded in full agreement.
He said, “Once we successfully annex the Permafrost Tundra into the kingdom, our northern defenses will directly border the boundless Coldwater Ocean. Land-based threats from the continent would be largely eliminated, and the kingdom’s rear will be secure.”
“We can then focus our gaze on the southern nations, especially the Divine Kingdom of Theo, with which friction has been increasing.”
“I’ll send orders immediately to prepare the legions for a northern campaign.”
Hearing Sorog, the Red Iron Dragon slightly shook his head.
“The magical satellites of the Theo Kingdom are surely watching our every move right now.”
He analyzed calmly, “The current situation is not suitable for large-scale military mobilization and assembly. Doing so would be equivalent to directly telling the Theo Kingdom that our northern rear has a problem and that a new powerful enemy has appeared.”
The Theo Kingdom had no intention of full-scale war with the wildlands at present.
But if they learned that a legendary giant was rising in the Permafrost Tundra and intended to march south, they would likely provide covert support in various forms, hoping to turn this “Eternal Frost Sovereign” into a pawn against Emperor Ignas.
Theo’s support might not ultimately help the frost giants defeat the Aola Kingdom.
Still, it would introduce variables and trouble to Garoth’s northern operation, making the frost giants more troublesome.
At the very least, some of Garoth’s basic information would reach the frost giant through Theo’s intelligence network in advance.
“You mean... a lightning strike, quick and decisive? Deal with the legendary giant first, then take over and pacify the entire Permafrost Tundra afterward?”
Sorog grasped Garoth’s intention and asked to confirm.
On the Dragonback Mountains, the imposing Red Iron Dragon inclined his head, his wings gradually unfurling.
“I will descend to the ice plains personally and wait at Dragonfang Fortress for that so-called ‘Eternal Frost Sovereign’ to arrive.”
He spoke unhurriedly, “Then I will personally put an end to his unrealistic kingly dreams.”
According to the intelligence from Dragonfang Fortress, the legendary frost giant named Wolruk believed strongly in his own martial might and thus lacked patience.
When sweeping across the tundra, he refused to wait for the slower-moving giant host and was accustomed to striking alone ahead to compel or crush un-subdued clans and tribes.
He reveled in the sense of conquest from one being suppressing many.
Coincidentally, if one set aside necessary caution and prudence, Garoth deep inside also favored the combat style of a single dragon’s overwhelming power crushing all foes.
In his view, the common troops only needed to clean up the aftermath and consolidate the victory.
“Vira.”
The Red Iron Dragon suddenly turned and called toward what appeared to be empty air on his right.
“Here!”
With a clear, powerful reply, the petite faerie dragon Vira materialized from the air accompanied by a faint ripple.
Since Garoth proclaimed himself legend, whenever he trained intensely, the faerie dragon would sneak nearby to watch and study, constantly refining her signature “Emperor Ignas Mimicry” to raise its potency.
Garoth had long been aware of Vira’s behavior.
He turned a blind eye rather than forbidding it; in a way, he tacitly permitted it.
He faced the appearing faerie dragon and ordered, “Vira, now you must fulfill your duties as the kingdom’s inspector. Take my shape and inspect the Citadel of Crimson Flame, reassure the people, and display the kingdom’s stability and majesty.”
After the Aola Kingdom stepped onto the continental stage and came under intense observation from many powers,
Vira’s role was no longer just a morale mascot.
Her mimicry was convincing enough to be used in critical moments and special occasions, making her a valuable hidden card for Garoth.
Upon hearing the assignment, the faerie dragon’s eyes widened, brilliance flashing from within.
She excitedly flipped a somersault, then quickly steadied herself and assumed a solemn posture.
She puffed out her tiny chest and declared in a ringing voice, “You got it! Vira guarantees to complete the task! Everyone in the Citadel will witness Emperor Ignas’ majestic bearing and unwavering dignity!”
Garoth watched her and reminded, “Remember, your range is limited to patrolling the Citadel of Crimson Flame.”
Now that the Scale Path and the Theo Kingdom both had hungry eyes on them, caution was prudent.
Although Vira normally seemed capricious and unreliable, she understood stakes when it mattered and had never failed in truly important tasks.
Garoth felt fairly confident entrusting her with this role.
“Good! I’ll go right away!”
The faerie dragon cheerfully responded, then began spinning in place as a dense, strange magical radiance gathered around her.
The light coalesced and formed shape.
In an instant, she vanished, replaced by a Red Iron Dragon nearly identical to Garoth himself.
The simulated Red Iron Dragon was lifelike—the texture of the scales, the sheen of the dragon pupils, even the fine battle-hardened patterns on its body were flawless; it looked fierce and majestic, indistinguishable at a glance.
Whoosh!
The faux Red Iron Dragon beat its wings, kicking up a strong gust, then sprang skyward and shot from the rear mountain area toward the Citadel of Crimson Flame to begin its patrol.
Garoth watched the departing silhouette that bore his likeness.
He then lifted his head slightly and gazed at the vast sky above the kingdom.
The exclusive training area in the rear mountains where he stood had long been fitted with a powerful concealment formation, capable of effectively blocking external surveillance and probes, including the “Star-Eye” magical satellites.
At present, only this area and the High Mountain Court had that level of protection in the entire Aola Kingdom.
Expanding that concealment to cover the whole citadel or other key regions would be enormously costly and a massive undertaking for Aola at this stage.
However, Aola was not without allies.
In Lothrian Kingdom’s list of support, it included construction of large formations like these, and related work was being planned and gradually implemented.
“Compared to those long-established, deep-rooted kingdoms, my realm still has a lot to catch up on.”
The Red Iron Dragon evaluated calmly, refusing to grow complacent over current achievements.
He had earlier tried to request a magical satellite from Lothrian, but even in their honeymoon phase of close relations, Lothrian politely yet firmly refused.
Those satellites hanging in the heavens were the crystallization of alchemical industry and were priceless.
Their significance went far beyond mere continental surveillance.
A magical satellite itself was a powerful strategic weapon platform: it could remotely construct and guide legendary spells to precisely strike surface targets, and in critical moments transmit energy to a legendary ally, amplifying and supporting them from extreme distances...
They offered many strategic-level effects and were treasured by any great power.
When Lothrian once sent the legendary mage Margarita personally to oversee an exchange for the legendary weapon known as “Jubilation,” it showed how rare and precious legendary equipment was.
The value and strategic worth of a magical satellite far surpassed any single legendary weapon.
Garoth calmed his thoughts and set aside long-term plans, lowering his gaze from the sky.
Chew!
A glow emanated from him.
In the next moment, his dragon body rapidly shrank and transformed, and in a blink he became a sleek black hawk with broad wings, its robust muscles hidden beneath feathers.
The hawk beat its wings and silently rose into the air.
After circling briefly to fix direction, it shot like an arrow toward the north and the Permafrost Tundra, flying swiftly and quietly.
............
Permafrost Tundra.
Under a vast sky, wind and snow whipped across the land.
Heavy leaden clouds hung low, nearly within reach.
Feather-like snowflakes tore through the gusts, and as far as the eye could see there were rolling white drifts and an endless ice plain — a sea of white between sky and earth.
Vast, empty, deathly still, desolate.
Yet in this harsh climate, a large fortress stubbornly stood against the swirling snow.
Built into a massive glacial mountain, its architecture was rugged and sturdy; its coloration merged with the glacier. From afar it resembled a natural glaciar ridge or a great dragon calmly perched on the land.
— Dragonfang Fortress.
Now, before the fortress’s giant gates, two enormous figures stood silently in the howling snow, letting the cold wind sweep over their scale-clad bodies.
On the left was a robust blue dragon, his size even greater than an average adult red dragon.
His huge wings were folded at his sides, and faint blue arcs of electricity flickered between the membranes, dispelling clinging ice and frost.
On the right stood a female red dragon even more hulking and muscular than the blue.
Unlike the blue’s reserved austerity, her crimson scales stood out against the snow like burning embers; hot breath poured from her nostrils as steam.
These two were Heriam and Kahir, tasked with holding this place.
They were not yet fully adult, still in late youth, but both exceeded most adult red or blue dragons in sheer size and in life level.
“He should be arriving soon, based on the message from the king.”
Heriam lifted his head and peered toward the snow-choked southern sky, speaking softly.
“Great Emperor Ignas has already reached legendary dragon status! It’s unimaginable how mighty and imposing his form must be now, a presence that overwhelms the world!”
Kahir chimed in excitedly.
At her words, a spray of hot sparks accidentally flicked from her maw and hit the snow with a sound.
This red dragon was naturally fierce and rebellious, but Emperor Ignas of Aola commanded her awe and obedience from start to finish.
At that moment, the distant snowy veil rippled with an unusual sound.
Both dragons bristled and immediately lifted their heads toward the noise.
Through the blizzard’s drifting veil, a huge black-and-red figure was breaking through, hurtling forward! It moved so fast it left a vacuum trace; the nearby snow blew to either side.
The newcomer was the Aola Kingdom’s supreme ruler.
The Red Iron Dragon Emperor — Garoth Ignas!
Having safely reached the northern ice plains, he returned to his true form.
The environment here was brutal and the region vast; being far from the main continent meant less worry about southern monitoring.
Those magical satellites were not omniscient.
Their attention tended to focus on key continental areas and could not cover every remote spot.
He did not unleash his draconic might, yet the surrounding gale stuttered under his presence.
Moments later the Red Iron Dragon tucked his wings and descended, landing in front of the two giants under a heavy blast of wind pressure.
“Hail, great Lord of Molten Iron! Ruler of the Wilderness!”
Heriam and Kahir both bowed their heads in draconic etiquette, showing heartfelt reverence to their emperor.
Garoth’s radiance first fell on the more composed blue dragon.
“Heriam, what have the frost giants been doing recently?”
He asked.
The blue dragon answered respectfully at once, “Report, Your Majesty. Patrols from Dragonfang Fortress have maintained constant day-and-night observation. From current intelligence, we have not yet detected clear signs of a mass frost giant mobilization southward.”
“However, the footprints of their tribes are noticeably creeping southward.”
“By current speed estimates, their vanguard may soon reach the area around Dragonfang Fortress.”
Garoth nodded slightly; he was not surprised by this.
“Good. Spread the word that dragons hold a presence here.”
He said calmly, “I will wait here for that self-styled ‘Eternal Frost Sovereign’ to arrive.”
Soon after, the Red Iron Dragon beat his wings and shot into the sky.
He circled the fortress once, then cast his gaze over the lee side of the glacier before descending.
Whoosh....
Garoth controlled his breath and lay low, withdrawing all outward aura to become the most patient of hunters.
Snow continued to fall, settling on his jet-black and crimson scales and battle-worn patterns.
Ice and snow accumulated, gradually covering his oppressive form until he blended into the glacier below and became hard to distinguish.
At the same time,
after the emperor’s order, Dragonfang Fortress abandoned its prior low-profile caution.
The fortress’s dragons began to deliberately fly over tundra clans already confirmed as having fallen in with the frost giants, flaunting their presence before returning to the fortress.
Scouts planted among the ice tribes started spreading matching reports.
Thus....
before long, news that “a dragon stronghold exists in the southern ice plain” quickly reached the frost giants consolidating the tundra.
Because dragons were a generational enemy of the giants,
when the Eternal Frost Sovereign heard the news he immediately shifted his focus to dragons and, relying on legendary might, set off alone toward Dragonfang Fortress.
Wind and snow still howled over the Permafrost Tundra as Dragonfang Fortress maintained its operations in the cold.
Days later, a heavy pressure swept the plains like an invisible tide, and even the howling snowfall seemed to freeze in that oppressive presence for a moment.
With thunderous footsteps the Eternal Frost Sovereign’s massive body stepped through the thick snowbank and, seemingly slow but actually swift, appeared in the dragons’ sight.
His shoulder height exceeded thirty meters, tall and imposing; heavy ice-blue armor covered crucial points. A giant war hammer dragged across the frozen earth, gouging a deep furrow.
He halted and swept his gaze over the glacier-built fortress.
When he saw the patrolling dragon shapes above the fortress, a trace of satisfaction crossed his eyes.
Finally, the frost giant fixed his stare on Heriam and Kahir,
Their poses were the most conspicuous.
Surprisingly, the legendary frost giant did not immediately show the expected enmity; instead, he spoke in a grand, impassioned tone.
“O dragons that soar the heavens! I, Wolruk, conqueror of the Permafrost Tundra, future king of the North, have noticed your presence here.”
“I admire the power flowing in your bodies and your innate pride.”
“In this vast and cruel world, the weak should crawl and struggle in the dirt! Only the truly strong deserve to stand atop all beings and enjoy rule and dominion!”
As he spoke, the frost giant unfurled his massive hand.
His posture was bold as if embracing the tundra and lands to the south.
“Submit to me! Pledge fealty! Join under my banner! Walk with me on this great path of conquest!”
His voice boomed through the snow, “We will first purge all discord on the tundra, then march south with our armies to incorporate the rich, unclaimed wildlands into our realm!”
“There are countless prey and inexhaustible resources there to satisfy every desire!”
“I shall build an unprecedented, powerful giant kingdom! If you lower your proud heads and kneel under Wolruk’s banner, you will share in this glory and... the right to live!”
He aimed to win the dragons as vassals.
He did not wish to crush purely by force; he hoped to sway them with kingly charisma and grand blueprints so he could savor maximum conquest satisfaction.
However, his grand speech met silence.
Heriam and Kahir exchanged a glance, each with an odd, indescribable look in their eyes.
Finally, the straightforward Kahir could not hold back and let out an unrestrained laugh.
She broke the silence with heavy sarcasm, “Hey, big guy! Which ice hole have you been squatting in so long that your brain froze solid?”
Heriam shook his head and spoke in a steady tone but with sharp content.
“Your news is more outdated than the oldest tundra wind. Southward? Conquer the unclaimed wilds? Don’t you know that land already has its sovereign?”
They really had not expected the bragging frost giant to be so out of the loop,
but on reflection it made sense.
The Permafrost Tundra’s extreme environment left few willing to venture deep inside. After the Molten Iron Tribe unified the convergence lands, merchant caravans stopped at safer border areas to trade and did not continue north.
Over the decades the frost giants and barbarians had kept their attention locked on each other.
Their worldviews had been confined to tundra internal strife.
For many reasons, the frost giants were largely ignorant of the sweeping changes in the southern wildlands—so much so that they didn’t even know a powerful dragon kingdom had risen there.
Across from them, Wolruk tensed when he heard the dragons’ curt words.
His gaze flickered with offended fury as he said, “Sovereign? Hmph! Unless one is a legendary, you are but insignificant dust before my strength!”
Even the normally composed Heriam nearly burst out laughing at that.
Large body, narrow perspective—Wolruk resembled a frog in a well.
“Dust?”
Kahir thumped her wings theatrically and sent a spray of hot sparks.
She laughed and shouted, “Tell this ignorant fool! The ruler of those wildlands is our great Emperor Ignas! Creator of the Aola Kingdom, Garoth Ignas!”
“And the very tundra where you stand is already an outpost of the Aola Kingdom!”
“Soon, the entire Permafrost Tundra will become an inseparable northern territory of our king’s realm!”
Heriam added decisively, “Submit to you? Giants, don’t be delusional. While you’re dreaming of kingship, His Majesty has already built a real kingdom!”
The savage taunt darkened Wolruk’s expression visibly.
He had expected to show grandeur and gather powerful vassals, not to be ridiculed as obsolete.
His regal demeanor shattered in an instant,
replaced by the anger rising from being scorned and mocked.
“Shut up! You foolish, arrogant lizards!”
Wolruk roared, “Even if you truly have a kingdom behind you, it does not change the fact that you are weak before me!”
“You dare mock a legendary? I will crush you, take your heads, and go find your so-called emperor to settle accounts!”
“He better exist! Not be some fiction you made up!”
In fury he gathered his cold energy and prepared to unleash his legendary Domain to forcibly seize or annihilate the mocking dragons.
But then,
the grand glacier behind Dragonfang Fortress trembled violently, and Wolruk froze.
Boom!
Thick snow that had been sitting on the glacier exploded outward, and a stronger force pushed the cutting wind aside.
A black-and-red dragon-shadow like a mountain burst upward from behind the glacier! His fully unfurled wings blotted out the snowstorm and cast a shadow over the frost giant below.
“Come to collect your debts?”
The Red Iron Dragon’s radiance fell cold as he looked down on the giant, “I’m right here. Come.”
Wolruk’s massive frame shuddered, his pupils narrowing as he locked onto the suddenly appearing Red Iron Dragon.
The other’s strength stunned him for a moment, but his eyes quickly shone with probing curiosity as he gauged Garoth’s life energy level.
Level 21.
Equal to his own.
This realization settled in the giant’s mind.
According to his race’s lore, newly ascended legendary giants normally possessed four traits, similar to dragons of the same rank.
But Wolruk had fully five traits!
This meant his power far exceeded ordinary legendaries. Few human legendaries could match him; even many dragon legendaries would struggle to face him head-on.
“Good! Good! Good!”
Wolruk laughed, “No wonder these two little dragons dare speak so arrogantly. So the emperor has been hiding right here!”
“Fine! Saves me the trouble of going south to find you!”
“If I kill you here, your kingdom will crumble!”
Where Wolruk was blustering, the Red Iron Dragon only regarded him with indifferent eyes, as if looking at a buffoon.
Then Garoth folded his wings and dove at the frost giant!
There was nothing left to say; battle ignited instantly.
“Die!”
Wolruk roared and lifted his hammer high, smashing it down toward the diving Red Iron Dragon with crushing force across the distance.
Boom!
An invisible ripple erupted, covering a vast area.
Where the ripple passed, the wind and snow shattered into finer particles and were driven into a fan-shaped vacuum blowing toward Garoth!
Garoth’s eyes betrayed no disturbance.
He flicked his enormous wings with casual force.
Hum!
Thanks to the traits of Superspeed and Agility, the Red Iron Dragon displayed mobility that belied his size; he moved like a black-red bolt of lightning, sidestepping the hammer’s ranged shock at the last possible instant, escaping unscathed.
While evading, thin golden arcs danced across his scaled surface and a low thunderous rumble sounded from his chest.
Frenzied State and Bloodburst State,
both combat modes were activated instantly!
Colossus Stance took effect!
Garoth’s size swelled monstrously, becoming terrifyingly oppressive, far surpassing the frost giant on the ground.
In the next second he closed the distance.
Almost simultaneously, both dragon and giant unleashed their Domains, neither using them defensively but pouring their power outward to crush the other!
Centered on each, crimson flame collided with pale ice tide, each ravenously corroding and eroding the other.
The frozen ground below groaned under the clash as wide sheets of ice melted and re-froze into twisted glassy crystals in an instant.
Wolruk’s mind snapped taut.
Facing the towering beast that outstripped him in sheer bulk, he, who had always prized size, felt somewhat diminished.
But he knew size wasn’t everything.
With five potent traits and deep reserves, he remained confident in his advantage.
The frost giant did not lower his weapon; he spun in a furious rotation and brought his hammer in a sweeping blow aimed at Garoth’s exposed flank.
At the same time, Garoth’s dragon qi condensed around his arms.
His muscles rose like cast steel, the striations so distinct they seemed about to tear the scales apart!
Garoth did not dodge or parry; he struck out with a claw in a direct, unadorned counter to the hammer’s sweep!
Boom!
A deafening crash split the air.
At the impact, the surface of Garoth’s arm-guard shattered, spiderwebbing with tiny fractures,
yet Wolruk’s great hammer itself was crushed as if by an invisible force and splintered into pieces that flew everywhere.
“How is this possible?! My Shatter-Iron trait is so weak?!”
The giant’s expression changed drastically as his hammer-bearing arms felt intense numbness and tremors.
Garoth’s face did not change.
His advanced physical immunity was certainly not for show.
Moreover, the momentum of his Colossal Strength did not stop—the claw slashed through the air and struck the chest of the frost giant as the hammer left him exposed.
Boom!!
The impact roared like a gigantic drum.
Wolruk felt an unstoppable torrent of force surge through him.
He rolled like a kite with its string cut, unmoored and flung backward, gouging a deep trench across the frozen ground before crashing into a low ice mound, where he finally came to a stop.
Garoth did not immediately follow up; he hovered in midair, staring at the dust cloud in the distance.
His intense clash with the Dragon-Worship Cult’s four legendaries had been rushed and he had not fully felt his power.
Now, from the brief exchange, he had a rough measure of the legendary frost giant’s tier and could further test his own strength.
With the ferocity of his previous strike, any human-level legendary of the same rank would likely have died.
But the frost giant did not crumble so easily.
“Cough... cough...”
With a series of heavy coughs, Wolruk struggled out from the shattered ice mound and stood shakily.
A clear collapsed wound showed on his chest, though it hadn’t been pierced completely.
The collapsed flesh looked strange, like fractured ice crystal, slowly self-repairing.
Extreme Cold Armor — flesh like ice, hard as plate.
Wiping blood from his mouth, Wolruk’s radiance brimmed with hatred as he glared at the Red Iron Dragon.
From the lightning-fast exchange he’d perceived the opponent likely had at least as many traits as he did, and the dragon’s base attributes were absurdly high.
Otherwise he wouldn’t have been so embarrassed in a single meeting.
“Should I... retreat for now?”
The thought involuntarily rose in him.
But under Garoth’s staring radiance, a nameless fury rose inside the giant and burned away the nascent thought of withdrawal.
Retreat? Dragons are the giants’ hereditary enemies!
He no longer represented only himself; he bore the giants’ honor!
Facing a hereditary enemy, how could he shrink and think of retreat? He must kill this Red Iron Dragon here and wash away shame with the dragon’s head!
He roared and charged again.
As he closed, he clenched his enormous fist, ice blades forming between his fingers, and smashed toward Garoth.
Garoth’s reaction was simple and direct: he slapped out a claw with no flourish.
Crack!
The ground under the frost giant shattered, sending thick fissures radiating like a spiderweb. Dragonfang’s glacier itself trembled, its surface splitting with numerous clear cracks.
Yet unexpectedly,
the frost giant at the center did not budge; instead the Red Iron Dragon, at the focal point, was shaken by the blow.
Ice Vein Resonance — he was resonating with the glacier and sharing the distributed impact.
“That felt off.”
Garoth squinted slightly.
Rich combat experience let him almost instantly realize how to respond effectively after being pushed back.
On the other side, seeing a sliver of advantage in a direct collision, Wolruk seized the moment.
He let out a thunderous roar.
Soulquake!
Bolstered by his trait, the roar carried a powerful spiritual shock and dizzying effect.
Dragons and followers watching from the fortress walls felt waves of dizziness; the weaker ones blacked out and collapsed.
Wolruk stepped forward and once more raised his ice-formed fist, channeling all his strength.
Shatter-Iron! Devastating Blow!
The giant used a powerful burst skill stacked with his Shatter-Iron trait; the punch carried the aura of destruction and smashed toward Garoth’s skull!
If it landed, even Garoth’s defenses might suffer.
Boom!
Air compressed and detonated with a high-pitched shriek.
However, the decisive blow hit empty air.
Garoth had not been affected by the Soulquake roar at all.
Just before the fist landed, he sidestepped by a hair’s breadth and easily evaded.
Wolruk tried to press the attack but suddenly felt his ankle seize.
Garoth’s tail had wrapped around him.
A tug! A yank!
Wolruk’s balance instantly broke and he pitched forward.
“Take to the air!”
Garoth grinned and followed with an immense wing-blow that slammed into the giant’s flank.
The strike, infused with colossal power, sent Wolruk’s off-balance body flying into the air.
Whoosh!
Flames burst along Garoth’s wings, tearing apart the giant’s attempting Domain.
With agility that contradicted his bulk, he arrived above Wolruk.
“It ends now!”
Garoth’s hind leg muscles coiled like tightened bowstrings. With a partial crouch, his sinews like steel cables wound, and his siege-caliber talons drove down at the frost giant.
Crunch!
Wolruk fell faster than he had risen, plummeting toward the frozen plain and finally crashing like a meteor into the ground.
A massive impact crater formed instantly, smoke and ice shards blasting skyward.
At the crater’s center lay a shattered giant corpse.
Its skull had been blown apart by the heavy stomp. The neck above the shoulders was hollowed out; the chest had a huge front-to-back void with irregular torn edges.
It looked as if the Eternal Frost Sovereign was truly dead, utterly lifeless and still.
Yet being a legendary, no one could be certain he had no hidden reversal or false-death trait.
“To be safe, we must thoroughly obliterate the body.”
Garoth thought quietly.
To be certain, he inhaled deeply, gathering flame, and then unleashed an extremely intense over-limit fiery breath at the frost giant’s shattered corpse in the pit.
“Damn dragon!!!!”
A roar full of rage arose.
On the frost giant’s torso, the ice-crystal flesh tore and bizarrely formed an eye and a roaring mouth out of nothing.
This was Wolruk’s final trait.
Winter Will — your will tempered by long winters can fight death itself.
This trait allowed Wolruk to retain consciousness after death and, if he killed an enemy while in that state or successfully feigned death, he could reconstruct his body and be reborn.
But Garoth’s scales had only slight damage and his aura remained potent.
Wolruk understood he could not possibly counter-kill Garoth in a near-death state. With the last shred of reason he opted to feign death, hoping to trick his foes.
He had not expected Garoth to be so cautious and merciless as to leave no corpse unburned.
Under the threat of the dragon breath, Wolruk could no longer fake it.
His battered form suddenly sprang from the pit and twisted to face Dragonfang Fortress, eyes fixed.
He intended to take down as many dragons as he could on his last breath!
Using the last energy granted by Winter Will, the giant leapt high and charged roaring toward the fortress.
However, before he’d gone far,
the dragon breath stopped and, in the next second, an even more violent over-limit annihilating breath descended from above.
Faster, unavoidable.
It fell like a river of crimson flame from the sky and instantly engulfed Wolruk’s body, melting and vaporizing him inch by inch.
When Garoth ceased his breath, the frost giant’s form had completely vanished as if it had never existed, leaving only a massive molten pit.
Wolruk had failed to protect his people.
But that did not mean Garoth could not protect his.
“Tougher than human legendaries, but that’s all they had.”
Garoth felt a pang of lingering interest and exhaled a thin spray of sparks from his nostrils.
He circled slightly and then flew back toward Dragonfang Fortress.
“Lord! Great Lord of Molten Iron! True Lord of the North!”
The dragons who had witnessed the battle cheered, eyes filled with excitement and awe.
They knew the Red Iron Dragon Emperor would win, but they hadn’t expected the victory to be so swift. From start to finish the so-called Eternal Frost Sovereign had no chance to retaliate.