Defeating the World with the Power of One Dragon!

Chapter 86: Steam Ravine, Dragon Sleep

In the rain-drenched valley, towering needleleaf pines stood straight, their treetops swaying in the wind and rain. Garoth flapped his wings, descending to land on a rocky ledge, then gathered the faerie dragon, red dragon, and Earth Rampage Bears together.

Silvery threads of rain fell continuously. The Rampage Bears stood soaked, their fur dripping wet, while the faerie dragon took shelter beneath the red dragon's wings. The red dragon wiggled her rear and flicked her tail, visibly uncomfortable in the rainy conditions.

"I'm entering dragon sleep," Garoth announced. "I may not wake for the next five years."

Upon hearing this, Mobel was the first to pledge loyalty, kneeling with his rump in the air, his simple bear face wearing an expression eerily similar to a gnoll's sycophantic grin.

"My lord, rest assured! With me leading the Rampage Bears' guard, no creature shall disturb your slumber! When you awaken, you'll sweep across the Ser Wilderness like a storm, making countless creatures submit!"

The other bears looked at Mobel with envy for his bootlicking skills. Ordinary Rampage Bears weren't eloquent, only knowing how to work diligently. Unable to think of flattering words themselves, they considered Mobel a genius for his silver tongue—his speed and proficiency in kneeling left them in awe.

Only after Mobel had knelt for several seconds did the other bears follow suit, kneeling before Garoth and vowing to guard faithfully.

But Garoth had no intention of sleeping in Needleleaf Valley. If powerful enemies came, these bears, the young red dragon, and faerie dragon wouldn't be enough to stop them. Moreover, the gathering of so many creatures here would draw unwanted attention—it was better to find a suitable place to sleep alone.

"Guard Needleleaf Valley well," Garoth instructed seriously. "When I awaken, I don't want to see this place under new ownership." He dismissed the bears.

The faerie dragon Vira poked her small head out from beneath Samantha's wing membrane and flew toward Garoth. Fluttering her translucent wings, rainwater slid off her scales: "I can help you find a safe den! I know of a hidden cave east of the needleleaf forest, its entrance covered by vines—no one would ever find it.""No need. I have my own plans," Garoth replied.

Samantha also flew over: "Five years? Must you sleep that long? Couldn't it be shorter?" Last time when Garoth rested from injuries for just seven days, she had felt severe anxiety and insecurity. Now facing five years, merely thinking about it made Samantha feel uneasy and tense.

"Of course not. Five years is already a conservative estimate," Garoth flicked his tail, splashing water droplets as he told Samantha: "While I sleep, you and Vira must be careful. Stay hidden in Needleleaf Valley—no unnecessary wandering."

After a pause, he added sternly: "And stop playing with ants all day! If your alchemy skills haven't improved when I wake..." He left the threat hanging, letting Samantha imagine the consequences.

In five years, barring accidents, both clans should have accumulated some black oil reserves. Then he'd need Samantha to refine the black oil through alchemy, improving its quality as much as possible.

"As long as you wake up quickly, I promise not to disappoint you," Samantha said. Her obedient reaction surprised Garoth somewhat.

Not dwelling on it, he turned to the faerie dragon Vira. "Don't forget—collect your scale powder daily and store it properly," Garoth instructed.

The faerie dragon circled around Garoth cheerfully: "Okay okay!" She blinked her eyes: "Can you play with me while you sleep?"

Garoth shook his head. "How could I play while asleep?"

The faerie dragon giggled: "No problem! Just your permission is enough. I won't disturb you—I can play by myself." Her gaze swept over Garoth's body, already imagining how to doodle on it or decorate it with flowers to make Garoth look "cute and pretty."

Garoth didn't know the faerie dragon's exact thoughts, but that didn't stop him from refusing. "Sure, you can keep me company while I sleep," he said with a chuckle.

"Yay!" The faerie dragon became excited, overjoyed.

"Just be extra careful not to get killed by me. I don't distinguish friend from foe in my dreams," Garoth added nonchalantly.

The faerie dragon froze. She suddenly remembered—Garoth could "kill dragons in his sleep." Best not approach.

"Uh, never mind then! I'll play with Samantha and the bears instead. Won't disturb you!" The faerie dragon stuck out her tongue and immediately changed her tune.

After giving both dragons some final instructions, Garoth began preparing for his dragon sleep. First he visited the cave holding the Cliff Serpent Dragon's corpse, extracting its most venomous heart. Then he left the cave, soaring into the sky until his figure disappeared into the dense rain curtain.

Some time later, Garoth arrived above a region shrouded in mist and reeking of sulfur—his pre-selected sleeping site. Garoth always planned ahead. When attempting to evolve steam-propelled wings and using faerie scale powder for rapid thinking, he'd considered utilizing dragon sleep to increase success chances. Later, during routine training and terrain exploration, he'd discovered this suitable location.

Garoth looked down. The ravine below resembled a giant axe wound splitting the earth, winding into the distance. The gray-white rock walls were honeycombed with holes constantly spewing scalding steam that condensed into thick fog in the cold rain. Peering through the dense vapor, faint crimson lava veins could be seen flowing like blood vessels through rock fissures at the ravine's bottom, vaporizing sulfur smells up a hundred meters.

The high-temperature, high-humidity environment suited fire-aligned creatures. Yet the scalding, sticky steam made it unbearable for ordinary water-aligned beings. The Steam Ravine's harsh conditions left it uninhabited—perfect for Garoth's needs.

Folding his wings, Garoth dove like an arrow into the thick steam, descending through the scalding vapor until reaching the ravine floor. Concealing himself in a steam-venting rock crevice, Garoth applied the serpent dragon heart's toxic blood to his wings, corroding numerous holes. Gritting his teeth, he endured the torment of high-temperature steam constantly passing through these wounds.

The dragon heart's toxin was more potent and longer-lasting. The endless steam would continuously irritate Garoth's wounds, slowing healing and making toxin removal more difficult—exactly what he wanted.

Waves of stimulating pain came one after another. Drowsiness also surged like tides. Garoth relaxed his mind as much as possible. His eyelids grew heavy, increasingly lethargic, until they slowly closed as he entered dragon sleep.

In this dormant state, a dragon's aura completely retracts, making detection difficult. But danger perception doesn't relax—instead becoming more sensitive than usual. Any life-threatening danger would trigger immediate awakening, though interrupting the dragon sleep process.

The ravine grew quiet, only the endless sound of churning steam remaining. Wrapped in thick vapor, the red iron dragon slept silently, evolving. Awaiting next awakening. These tempered wings might no longer need rainy environment interaction to blast steam, swaying to leave comet-like trails—transforming into peerless weapons.