novelraw Chapter 500: Garos's New Weapon, Feast 22
Chapter 500: Garos's New Weapon, Feast 22
The red iron dragon hovered amidst the wind and snow, his gaze sweeping across the landscape as blossoms of Dragon Qi flame bloomed out of thin air.
Snowflakes collided with those suspended flames, instantly vaporizing with soft hissing sounds.
After continuing to test the True Eye with great interest for several more minutes, Garoth ceased his devastation of the surrounding environment. Instead, he lowered his head to carefully observe the subtle changes in his pair of claws.
The claws' contours were thicker and sharper than before his slumber.
The silver patterns on his wrists appeared dazzlingly brilliant.
Crackle! Crackle!
Dense golden lightning erupted from Garoth's body.
He did not allow it to run rampant. Instead, he focused his mind, restraining and guiding this violent energy.
Under his control, the dazzling electrical light concentrated mainly around his arms, winding and climbing along the grooves of his arm guards, emitting a low hum.
Immediately after, Garoth raised his left claw and suddenly shot it out, grabbing at a bolt of lightning that was circling and dancing on his arm guard.That lightning bolt was originally an intangible, formless energy, constantly twisting and changing. But the instant Garoth's claw tip touched it, it solidified.
It was as if time had stopped flowing in this small area.
That previously ceaselessly leaping lightning bolt suddenly became still, taking on a crystalline golden form, its surface flowing with minute electrical sparks, fixed in mid-air.
Garoth slightly clenched his claw.
Crack!
With a sound similar to crystal shattering, he actually snapped off a small segment of the solidified lightning. Sparks burst from the broken ends before extinguishing.
When he released his claw.
The snapped lightning bolt remained in its solidified state for a few more seconds before abruptly dimming, transforming into several faint arcs of electricity that dissipated into the cold air.
"My claws can directly solidify energy, grasp energy..."
Garoth stared at his claws, a clear understanding dawning in his heart, "And the degree of control is far more refined than before."
Previously, when relying on legendary items, he could also influence and tear apart energy, but that was more of a crude destruction. It was difficult to so delicately pinch a wisp of energy, let alone solidify it into a tangible form to play with.
But now, after completing his evolution, his interference with energy had reached an entirely new level.
"It seems I can use this to unleash powerful long-range attacks."
The red iron dragon pondered thoughtfully.
Then, he simultaneously raised both arms, his claws slowly coming together.
Crackle! Crackle!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Golden, vigorous lightning and black-red Dragon Qi simultaneously erupted from his majestic form, winding along his arm guards and surging toward his tightly clenched, sharp claws.
Energy gathered, collided, and compressed between his claws.
Garoth continuously poured in power, the muscles in his arms slightly tensing, with searing light seeping from between his scales.
Then, his pair of sharp claws began slowly pulling apart.
With his movement, a highly condensed, solid sphere of energy appeared between his claws.
Garoth continued injecting his own energy into it.
The energy sphere began to expand, growing inch by inch, its glow becoming increasingly brilliant, the dangerous aura it emitted growing more and more intense.
Ten meters, twenty meters, thirty meters...
Finally, an enormous energy sphere with a diameter of fifty meters, resembling a miniature sun, was steadily held aloft by the red iron dragon upon his arms.
Its surface was a dark red, with blinding golden lightning constantly exploding within.
Go!
Garoth's vertical pupils locked onto a solitary peak below him. From directly above, he hurled this sphere downward.
The moment the energy sphere left the dragon's claws, the stability on its surface rapidly faded.
It began to bulge and contract irregularly, revealing an extremely unstable, dangerous aura, trailing a golden-red light tail as it plummeted.
At the instant it made contact with the mountaintop.
First, a stagnation.
Time seemed to stretch.
The energy sphere embedded itself into the mountain rock. It did not immediately explode but instead collapsed inward for a moment, sucking back all light and sound.
Then.
BOOM!!!!!!!!
An indescribable, thunderous roar.
The energy sphere exploded violently, expanding fiercely, accompanied by a visible, ring-shaped shockwave, transforming into an intensely dazzling sphere of light.
Infinite light and heat, brilliant thunder and flame, simultaneously bloomed and spread.
The mountain's rock vaporized instantly upon contact with the sphere of light. Rock layers further away were peeled and flung layer by layer by the shockwave.
Billions of tons of stirred-up dust and shattered stone, mixed with raging flames, propelled by a rising column of scorching hot air, formed a massive dark-red mushroom cloud that shot straight into the sky!
The shockwave swept out in all directions.
Clouds were obliterated, mountains shook, tree canopies in distant forests were flattened in swathes. The residual waves, carrying scorching thunderflame, surged and swept toward the distant Citadel of Crimson Flame.
Garoth, hovering high above, bore the brunt, directly engulfed by the explosion he had created.
"Such a bad case of waking up on the wrong side of the bed? You just woke up and already want to destroy your own royal city?"
Just as the explosion's residual waves were about to touch the outermost buildings of the royal city, a mental whisper tinged with a hint of helplessness drifted faintly into Garoth's mind.
Almost simultaneously, a layer of amethyst barrier appeared on the side of the royal city facing the explosion.
It steadily blocked and isolated the surging shockwave.
Swoosh!
A dragon-shaped silhouette broke through the not-yet-dispersed flames and thick smoke, emerging from the center of the devastation zone to hover once more at high altitude.
It was Garoth.
At this moment, he looked somewhat disheveled. The surface of his scales showed many fine cracks, especially on his chest, abdomen, and forelimbs. In some places, dragon scales had even been blasted off and shattered, revealing the blurred flesh and blood beneath, which was visibly wriggling and healing.
He had been injured by the explosion just now.
However, Garoth was not alarmed but rather delighted, his dragon pupils bursting with surprised joy.
He hadn't expected the Spell-Extinguishing Claws to give rise to such an over-the-top attack.
Its power was mainly related to charging time and his own energy reserves.
Based on Garoth's feeling just now, as long as he still had energy and his claws' strength could withstand it, he could continuously enhance its power, unleashing attacks far exceeding his own limits.
Considering Garoth's vast energy reserves and high physical strength.
He could brew up a rather terrifying attack.
Although the wind-up wasn't short, it would be invincible against fixed targets.
If he had possessed this skill during the Twin-Ao War, when facing Norton Pass, he wouldn't have needed to personally crash into it. He could have simply condensed a thunderflame sphere and hurled it over.
Just one hit.
Everything would have been annihilated in that ultimate light and heat, and the war would have ended in another, simpler, more direct way.
Natural barriers, passes, barriers, impregnable cities...
In the future, these defensive fortifications would become fragile and vulnerable before him.
"Haha, I never expected this move's power to be so formidable."
Garoth felt exhilarated in his heart, his dragon wings stretching out, stirring the unsettled turbulence around him, "Besides, I knew you were in the royal city. I was very confident."
He responded to the amethyst dragon's teasing in his mind.
"I'm not here to guard your royal city for you, you..."
Iseramas's mental whisper carried a hint of complaint, as if he wanted to say more.
But Garoth had already spoken unhurriedly: "I know. So, to thank you for intervening this time, a generous reward will be delivered soon."
Silence from the other side.
Trying to corrupt me with treasure again? Damn it... completely impossible to refuse!
A few seconds later, Garoth heard a response.
"...I am not a dragon who focuses on material things. But if you insist on expressing gratitude, I suppose I can reluctantly accept it. I shouldn't disappoint such sincere sentiment."
The amethyst dragon said with feigned reserve.
After exchanging a few simple words with him, Garoth collected his thoughts, redirecting his attention back to his newly acquired abilities.
"That move just now deserves a specific name. Something like 'Thunderflame Annihilation Sphere'—sounds very imposing... but it seems a bit... too flashy? Ovis might like that style."
Garoth shook his head, dismissing these inconsequential thoughts.
He had always been rather casual in this regard, prioritizing practicality.
Besides the long-range attack mode of condensing a solid energy sphere and hurling it, he felt the Spell-Extinguishing Claws should have other, more flexible applications.
For example... close combat.
Garoth extended his right arm, his will stirring slightly.
Golden, vigorous lightning flashed once more, surging madly toward his right claw.
As time passed and under Garoth's manipulation, the lightning slowly took shape and extended between his claws.
Not long after, a javelin nearly a hundred meters long, entirely composed of solidified golden lightning, appeared in the red iron dragon's claw.
The shaft was slender, its entire body flowing with blinding electric light. The spear tip was incredibly sharp, constantly emitting tiny electrical sparks.
Although it was an energy construct, holding it in his claw gave a sense of substantial weight.
Garoth tried swinging this lightning spear.
The shaft cut through the air, raising a low rumble of wind and thunder. Wherever it passed, it left a lingering golden electrical trace.
"In close combat, I can weaponize my own energy to increase attack range, compensating for occasional gaps in distance."
"During a fight, if the opportunity is right, I can directly hurl it, transforming it into a powerful long-range attack."
"However, I'm not very proficient at energy shaping yet. I can't quickly mold it into suitable forms during battle. This aspect requires improving proficiency through training."
Garoth contemplated inwardly.
These were all derivative skills based on the Spell-Extinguishing Claws. They couldn't be called invincibly strong, but Garoth's methods would become richer and more comprehensive because of them.
Not long after, Garoth collected his thoughts and stopped testing.
He stretched his wings, feeling the sensation of wind and snow brushing over his scales.
The growth brought by this slumber exceeded expectations.
True Eye, Spell-Extinguishing Claws, three new traits... each of these was a significant leap forward. In comparison, the increase in his life level was secondary.
And now, it was time to return to the royal court.
He needed to understand more concretely the changes that had occurred in the Romania nations and even the whole world during these decades of slumber; he needed to plan his next path based on these changes; and of course, he also needed to properly replenish the energy consumed by the long slumber and the recent tests, filling his empty body.
Late at night, the wind and snow continued.
However, the Citadel of Crimson Flame seemed to exist in another world.
To celebrate the Red Emperor's awakening, the entire kingdom rejoiced together.
The magnificent city built against the mountain was now ablaze with lights, resembling a brilliant galaxy fallen amidst the mountains.
Huge bonfires were lit on main streets and squares, magical light orbs floated in mid-air, illuminating the swirling snowflakes in dazzling colors.
Celebratory music, the laughter of subjects, the aroma of wine and meat.
These mingled together, dispelling the winter night's bitter cold.
The royal court, located on the high ground, was also holding a grand feast.
In a certain massive hall, food piled up like small mountains had already been laid out.
Giant beast ribs roasted golden and dripping with oil, whole rock goats stewed with spices, thinly sliced deep-sea fish served on silver platters, mountains of bread and cheese, and exquisite fruits from various regions.........
Important dragons, as well as lords of the Aola Kingdom, were mostly gathered here, sharing the feast.
The Red Emperor was seated at the head.
Before him, besides those delicious-looking, aromatic delicacies, was also piled a small mountain of special supplies: glittering gemstones, refined black oil, magical precious metals, and so on.
Garoth ate unhurriedly.
He bit off a large chunk of roasted rib, crushing meat and bone together in his mouth before swallowing. Then he used his claws to pick up several gemstones, tossing them into his mouth like snacks, crunching them with a few crisp sounds before swallowing. Occasionally, he took a large gulp of refined black oil, the thick, fiery liquid sliding down his throat, bringing a scorching warmth.
His empty body was rapidly becoming strong and full, the luster of his scales gradually brightening.
"Father, congratulations on awakening from your slumber."
A deep, powerful voice sounded.
The red dragon Garcro strode forward proudly, crossing the hall to arrive at the steps below Garoth's throne.
From infancy to youth, this dragon who had inherited the Red Emperor's bloodline had undergone tremendous growth.
Although his size was far from comparable to the Dragon Father's, he could already be considered a behemoth.
His deep-red scales were thick and layered, their edges gleaming with the dull, cold light of forged metal, as if each one had been tempered a thousand times. The sharp spikes on his body were denser and thicker, his entire form bulging with muscles, his lines brimming with explosive power. Merely standing there, he exuded an undeniable presence.
Garoth paused his eating to gaze at his eldest son.
On Garcro's broad shoulders, chest, abdomen, and some key areas of his limbs, Garoth saw a few marks resembling natural tattoos.
Those were Battle-Hardened Patterns.
To possess Battle-Hardened Patterns in the youth phase, even if few in number and scattered, was enough to prove that Garcro's experiences over these years were far from a life of ease and comfort.
In him, Garoth faintly glimpsed some shadow of his own younger self.
Moreover, on the young red dragon, the formerly impulsive and restless temperament seemed to have settled considerably. His gaze had become sharper and more focused, his bearing gaining a measure of steadiness.
However, he held his head high, his chest out, his eyes blazing.
The inherent arrogance in his bones clearly had not dissipated.
Yet, under the Red Emperor's calm gaze, Garcro did not maintain his proud posture.
He first lowered his massive head, bending his neck to express his heartfelt reverence and respect toward the Dragon Father. After holding the position for several seconds, he raised his head again, his gaze meeting Garoth's.
"The name of the Red Emperor will once again shake the Romanian Plains. And I, the eldest son of the Red Emperor, will not disgrace your reputation."
"I will use my claws, fangs, and flames to expand your territories wider and guard your kingdom."
Garoth gave a slight nod, saying, "Your opportunity to prove yourself will come soon. I will be watching."