Translator: AnubisTL
The setting sun painted the sky above Hemlock Hills crimson, and Garos's scales shimmered with a dangerous glint in the twilight.
Centered around him, three Earth-Rending Centipede Alchemical Golems suddenly burst from the ground in different directions. Their steel bodies cast menacing shadows across the terrain, emitting ear-piercing metallic screeches as their segmented limbs scraped against the rocks, sending sparks flying.
The first golem coiled into a massive metal wheel, its high-frequency vibrating blade-like legs converging to slice at Garos.
The second golem opened its grotesque maw and spewed a liquid resembling refined black oil, which instantly ignited into a raging inferno upon contact with the air.
The third golem's armored carapace cracked open, unleashing a dense barrage of armor-piercing steel spikes like a torrential downpour.
Garos inhaled deeply and abruptly spread his dragon wings horizontally.
The guillotine-like wings slashed at the "metal wheel."
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks erupted in a dazzling shower as Garos's wings clashed repeatedly with the Earth-Rending Centipede's blade-like limbs, producing a metallic clangor that reverberated through the night.
Segment after segment of the golem's bladed limbs twisted, shattered, and splintered.
The metallic outer wing bones of the dragon Garos were now riddled with cracks.
With a powerful flap of his wings, Garos sent the Earth-Rending Centipede flying, its spinning body slicing through thick iron fir trees.
Simultaneously, as Garos hurled the first Centipede aside, a torrent of flaming dragon breath and a storm of armor-piercing steel spikes surged toward him.
Undaunted, Garos strode forward, chest puffed out, neither dodging nor flinching.
The flames engulfed him first, swallowing him whole. Yet, as the fire raged, Garos grinned, his explosive scales instantly searing to a molten, iron-red hue.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Armor-piercing steel spikes hammered against Garos's body, easily shattering his explosive scales into fragments.
Then, with a violent shake and flick of his body, Garos unleashed a counterattack. Countless molten, iron-red fragments, still ablaze, surged back toward the two Earth-Rending Centipedes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The explosive shockwaves and searing flames engulfed the Centipedes, sending them crashing back, their bodies now riddled with cracks and dents.
The flaming dragon breath erupting from the Centipedes' mouths abruptly ceased.
However, the flames still burning on Garos's body continued to rage unabated.
These flames were fueled by highly flammable liquids refined from black oil.
Bathed in the inferno, the red iron young dragon spread its wings and gently flapped them, its head held high as it strode forward. Its dragon scales glowed with a molten crimson hue, the surrounding air warping from the intense heat.
Though extraordinary, these flames were not magical in nature.
Not only did they fail to harm Garos, but they actually amplified his dragon might.
Realizing the flames were ineffective against Garos and that ranged attacks were equally futile, the three Earth-Rending Centipedes stabilized themselves. Each, bearing varying degrees of damage, transformed into metallic wheels, their bladed appendages vibrating at high frequencies. In this circular form, they spun and hurtled toward Garos.
Whoosh!
With a sweep of its dragon wings, the flame-engulfed Garos surged forward like a fiery meteor, colliding head-on with the metallic wheels.
Molten light streamed from the gaps between the scales on its chest.
Its pupils reflected the three Earth-Rending Centipedes converging from different directions.
Garos unleashed a torrent of scorching flaming dragon breath.
The dragon breath, carrying immense force, first swept past two Earth-Rending Centipedes, sending them hurtling away. Then, it slammed directly into the final Centipede, pinning it firmly to the ground.
The black metal armor covering its body visibly glowed crimson, beginning to melt.
Though both were flames, Garos's flaming dragon breath far surpassed the black oil fire spewed by the Earth-Rending Centipede in destructive power.
Garos advanced relentlessly, his flaming dragon breath suppressing the Earth-Rending Centipede, melting it into a twisted mass of scrap metal. The remaining two Earth-Rending Centipedes, having witnessed the battle and realizing they couldn't defeat Garos, decisively changed tactics. Abandoning the fight, they began to retreat.
Burning dragon wings tore through the night.
The red iron young dragon swiftly pursued the Earth-Rending Centipede fleeing to the right. Before it could burrow underground, the young dragon abruptly swerved, lashing out with its tail.
Zzzzt!
The tail ring lit up, arcs of electricity crackling across the dragon's tail, amplifying the lightning's destructive force and stimulating its muscle power.
The howling wind mingled with the crackling electricity as Garos's tail struck with lightning speed, precisely hitting the Earth-Rending Centipede. The impact severely dented and cracked its outer shell, while silver serpent-like arcs of electricity seeped into every crevice, surging through its internal mechanisms.
Crackle! Crackle!
Though relatively intact, the Earth-Rending Centipede convulsed and collapsed, acrid black smoke billowing from its joints.
Boom! The red young dragon plummeted from the sky, crashing into the ground and creating a deep crater.
Samantha staggered to her feet, her head spinning.
She had tried to imitate Garos's aerial assault on the third Earth-Rending Centipede, but lacked the speed to intercept it. The centipede burrowed underground, while Samantha was left aching from the impact.
She lacked Garos's relentless training and formidable physique.
This direct, high-speed collision with a ground target was simply not suited for ordinary young dragons.
Once the third Earth-Rending Centipede burrowed underground, it immediately fled.
Garos, lacking any quasi-spell skills for underground travel, didn't pursue it. Moreover, relentless pursuit would have been pointless. The golems' presence here meant the location had likely been compromised. Even if he captured this one, the Blackrock Dwarves could still pinpoint Hemlock Hills through their underground tunnels, merely delaying the inevitable.
"Dragon Lord, your divine might! Your power fills me with awe and reverence!"
"These steel beasts are mere insects before you! It is an honor to serve as your familiar."
With the battle concluded, Earthstorm Bear Mobel approached Garos, showering him with flattery.
Garos ignored it, silently calculating and organizing the battle information in his mind.
"These three alchemy golems have no discernible life grade, but each one is more formidable than an ordinary Grade 8 ferocious beast or demonic beast. They coordinate well and adapt their tactics to different situations."
"Compared to them, the alchemy golems of the goblin tribe are like crude, flimsy toys, easily shattered."
"If they hadn't used flame attacks against me, this battle would likely have dragged on much longer."
These combat-oriented alchemy golems were truly formidable.
Garos didn't know the specific model of the Earth-Rending Centipede, but judging by its size and apparent complexity, it was likely inferior to the alchemy golems stationed on the surface.
"Ah, my alchemy workshop!" Samantha shrieked, stomping her feet in fury.
During the recent battle, her alchemy workshop had once again been caught in the crossfire and completely destroyed. This wasn't the original crude rock slab shelter; she had spent five months continuously repairing and upgrading it.
"Where did these damned things come from? I'm going after them to slaughter them all!" she snarled, beside herself with rage.
Garos didn't stop her. Instead, he encouraged her, "They're from the garrison stationed at an oil field under the Blackrock Principality's flag. I'll give you the coordinates so you can have your revenge."
Me?
Hearing this, Samantha's fury instantly subsided. No way! She remembered how she had nearly been shot down just for glancing at the area from high above, a brush with death she wouldn't soon forget.
Although the two locations weren't the same—her previous encounter had been at a mining outpost—any place garrisoned by regular troops was best left alone.
"A dragon shouldn't be reckless," Samantha said with an awkward smile, quickly changing the subject. "I think I'll just rebuild the alchemy workshop first."
"No."
Garos shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the vegetation and soil of the Hemlock Hills. "We can't stay here any longer. We need to find a new territory."
The Hemlock Hills had always been resource-poor, and recently the water sources had been drying up, causing the local wildlife to dwindle. Garos had to fly farther and farther each time he needed to drink or hunt, and the idea of relocating had already been brewing in his mind.
Now, sensing the threat from the Blackrock Dwarves, he finally resolved to abandon this place.
This decision also meant the end of their peaceful life these past few months.
(End of the Chapter)