novelraw Chapter 65: He Flashed Across the Sky Like a Scarlet Meteor
Chapter 65: He Flashed Across the Sky Like a Scarlet Meteor
The setting sun was like blood, dyeing the sky into a flowing molten fire painting. The sinking sun resembled a pierced wound, oozing viscous afterglow along the horizon.
Garoth bathed in the crimson and fiery afterglow, each of his black-iron-like dragon scales reflecting a dangerous gleam.
His wings flapped, the fine scales rubbing against each other, sparking tiny embers. His body stood straight, piercing through the clouds and breaking through the sky, rushing toward Crescent Valley, toward the lair of the Cliff Serpent Dragon, like a sharp blade slashing through the thickening dusk.
Whenever he sensed danger.
Whenever his life was threatened.
Garoth could never suppress the boiling killing intent inside him, wanting to eliminate the source of danger.
This was not an effect of his dragon bloodline.
As far as Garoth knew, very few dragons had such thoughts. The vast majority of dragons, due to their inherent arrogance and pride, believed they could overcome any danger. They thought the world should bow beneath their dragon wings, believed themselves invincible, and thus lacked much sense of crisis.
Garoth had seriously analyzed this.
He ultimately concluded.Most likely, it was because he had once been incredibly lucky to die and experienced the despair, fear, regret, and unwillingness before death... Therefore, he cherished this dragon life especially, hoping to live a long time. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to crush all risks and factors that threatened his survival at the cradle.
This seemed somewhat paranoid.
A little paranoid delusion.
It could also be said this was a flaw in Garoth’s personality.
Just like how he could never consecutively swallow two magic gems, when facing life-threatening risks, he found it hard to suppress his killing intent, wanting to use any means to eliminate them. If the difference was too great and it was impossible, he would choose a strategic retreat to a safe place.
However, for now.
This personality ‘flaw’ actually brought him some benefits.
In such a case, whether it was a flaw or an advantage became somewhat blurred.
But no matter what, the Cliff Serpent Dragon had to be dealt with.
Garoth disliked a wandering life. He had just settled down in Needleleaf Valley. Was he really going to relocate again because of the hidden threat of the Cliff Serpent Dragon?
This serpent dragon wasn’t strong enough for that.
Garoth didn’t want to relocate, nor did he want to be ambushed by the cliff serpent dragon who had the advantage of stealth.
Since that was the case, dealing with it in advance was the best solution.
“Fighting it to the death recklessly might leave me poisoned and severely injured.”
“Think carefully about the upcoming battle strategy and try to deal with this Cliff Serpent Dragon with the least cost.”
The red iron dragon inhaled a cold breath of the night sky; his gaze flickered.
The killing intent filling his chest did not cloud his mind but made him even calmer.
His wings flapped, forming streaks of starlight that trailed like fireflies in the dusk. As time passed, Garoth drew closer and closer to Crescent Valley.
Crescent Valley.
At this moment, the night deepened, and moonlight lay calm as water, spilling from the sky.
The valley itself appeared peaceful.
But beneath the tranquility flowed a dark current.
Giant wolf knights, howling werewolves, werewolf archers... the young and middle-aged fighters of the Howling Moon Clan, as usual, were fully armed, patrolling inside and outside their territory. Yet if one carefully observed from high above, it was faintly visible that their positions formed a surrounding formation, ready to break through obstacles and launch a fierce attack on an empty ground in the territory’s center at any time.
Besides that.
Elder werewolves and werewolf cubs.
The weak, old, sick, and disabled of the Howling Moon Clan had long since moved beyond the valley, not staying within the territory.
All the young and strong, while patrolling normally, tensed their muscles beneath their fur. Their expressions occasionally grew tense but were instantly replaced with resolute determination.
Graymane Werewolves were naturally fierce but valued blood ties and clan kinship.
For the clan’s future, they had already prepared to die in battle.
“Elder, everything is ready.”
The werewolf chieftain, Russell, lowered his voice, his tone excited yet nervous.
The old shaman nodded and said solemnly, “Remember, we must wait for Rogoth to walk into the formation I set. Then activate the formation to bind him and wait for my command before attacking together. Only then can we minimize the clan’s casualties.”
Hearing the words ‘casualties’, Russell’s expression grew heavier.
He clenched the hilt of his knife and said, “Everyone has been instructed.
Once you blow the bone whistle for the second time, all warriors of the Howling Moon Clan will rush up immediately and kill it!”
After careful consideration and discussion,
the shaman and chieftain still decided to eliminate the Cliff Serpent Dragon rather than relocate the territory.
The wilderness was filled with dangers; relocating the territory was not simple.
Leaving the familiar and moving to an unknown place to start anew was a process full of hardships; it would be lucky if half the clan survived.
Casualties would be huge regardless.
Might as well fight the Cliff Serpent Dragon to the death!
The warriors of the Howling Moon Clan would never fear battle!
Whoosh—
The bone whistle sounded for the first time.
The old shaman stood in the middle of a clearing, which was filled with fresh prey.
Hearing the bone whistle, the Cliff Serpent Dragon crawled out of its cave, then slithered its long body and landed in front of the old shaman. Without any courtesy, it opened its blood-red mouth and bit into one of the prey, ruthlessly tearing it apart.
When feeding, the Cliff Serpent Dragon injected a venom that enhanced the pain inside its prey.
The prey screamed miserably as its skin and flesh were shredded and torn off by the dragon’s sharp, dense teeth.
The bloodiness of the process made the old shaman frown slightly.
At the same time, he noticed the serpent dragon’s tail.
The previously broken part had grown granulation tissue, like the embryo of its tail. Given the dragon’s recovery speed, it would probably regenerate fully in a few days.
Initially, the old shaman had wanted to seek out the dragon that had wounded the Cliff Serpent Dragon and cooperate with it.
However, he did not know its origin or whereabouts.
Without any channel for communication or exchange, the idea of borrowing its power became a mere fantasy. Thus, he ultimately resolved to gather the clan’s strength and eliminate the Cliff Serpent Dragon.
The feeding continued.
The Cliff Serpent Dragon gradually moved to the center of the clearing.
Beneath where it could not see, a pre-arranged formation was ready to be activated at any moment.
A flicker of nervousness flashed across the old shaman’s wolf face. Then, while the serpent dragon’s attention was focused on the food, he took a deep breath, preparing to blow the bone whistle and activate the formation.
Whoosh—!!
The compressed air emitted a sharp whistle, coming from afar to near.
Wait, I haven’t blown the whistle yet?
The old shaman’s eyes widened in confusion. Before he could activate the formation, he saw the Cliff Serpent Dragon suddenly straighten its upper body. Its tail slammed on the ground, its face furious, blood-red dragon pupils filled with hostility, staring fixedly at the night sky.
Including the old shaman,
many werewolves looked up at the night sky, their breath caught simultaneously.
A scarlet meteor dove down from the clouds.
No, it wasn’t a scarlet meteor.
It was a giant dragon like a scarlet meteor.
Its size was not yet giant, but its momentum and oppression were so overwhelming that all the werewolves’ first impression upon seeing it was a single fitting image.
—A giant dragon, a powerful giant dragon!
Garoth tore through the night, charging straight at the Cliff Serpent Dragon.
His speed had accelerated to an extremely high level. Sparks burst densely as his dragon wings flapped, like countless stars flowing on them. The shrill sound of feathers and fine scales rubbing the air was like thousands of swords drawn at once.
The sound started as a high-frequency metallic vibration, then gradually evolved into a continuous rumble like thunder as the altitude decreased.
The newly raised head of the Cliff Serpent Dragon was pressed low by the sound wave. Its forked tail curled instinctively. Facing Garoth’s unstoppable rolling dragon might, it felt a trace of fear in its heart.
But that trace of fear was instantly replaced by the serpent dragon’s ferocity and madness.
Hiss—!
It let out a shriek. Hot steam hissed out from under its scales. Its speed exploded as it leapt into the air.