Translator: AnubisTL
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"Even if I don't accumulate heat energy to its peak, releasing it mid-way can still unleash considerable power."
The red-iron dragon landed atop Sword Cliff, its claws digging into the rugged rock as it surveyed its territory. It carefully recalled the sensations from earlier.
"However—"
He turned his gaze to the Cold Exploding Scale, which was now almost completely cracked and could barely withstand further attacks, and thought:
"—releasing heat energy prematurely will damage my Cold Exploding Scale. This will hinder my ability to accumulate more heat energy afterward. Unless the situation is dire, I should save this strike for when the Cold Exploding Scale is completely destroyed and my heat energy is at its absolute peak."
Garos had no doubt.
This single strike could instantly obliterate the mountain peak beneath his feet.
His most powerful attack was this breath, amplified by peak heat energy, a force that seemed capable of annihilating everything in its path.
To distinguish it from his normal flaming dragon breath, Garos had named it the Annihilation Dragon Breath.
"Frostmark, a mature silver dragon residing in the Frontierlands."
"If a conflict were to arise, would I stand a chance against him with the Annihilation Dragon Breath?"
Garos imagined a battle between himself and a mature silver dragon, considering the potential outcome.
After a few seconds, he shook his head slightly, refusing to be blinded by the evil dragon's arrogance.
He was confident he couldn't win.
Not just a slim chance, but no chance at all.
The gap in power was too vast. Moreover, it was a silver dragon, not a white dragon—a creature inherently capable of dominating its peers. And it undoubtedly possessed a higher class level.
"Why would I even think about fighting someone so much stronger?" Garos mused.
"The true path is to strike from above and crush those below, the strong preying on the weak."
"When facing an overwhelmingly superior being, you either retreat early or find a way to make it your backing."
Garos considered the silver dragon residing in the Frontierlands. He leaned toward the latter option, with Red-Silver Dragon Deborah being the key. Unfortunately, after awakening from her slumber, she had been overcome by desire and driven away the red-silver dragon, who had yet to return.
"Should I press my advantage and eliminate the other wild monster lords?"
The red-iron dragon glanced at his Cold Exploding Scale, now riddled with deep cracks, and felt the drain on his stamina and dragon qi. He shook his head slightly, abandoning the idea.
If he continued fighting like this...
It wasn't impossible for him to take down all the wild monster lords in one go, but doing so would undoubtedly drain him severely, leaving him vulnerable to unexpected dangers and unnecessarily increasing his risk.
Besides, he didn't need to rush.
After the Ironforged Tribe's earlier purge, few wild monster lords remained in the southwest.
Excluding the Chimera, three remained, all formidable beings.
One couldn't afford to be cautious only when danger was imminent; by then, it would be too late to react to an ambush. Garos decided it was better to proceed cautiously, hunting only when fully rested, to avoid any unexpected mishaps.
With a flap of his dragon wings, Garos soared into the sky, returning to Dragon Valley.
The next day, at dawn, a group of Ironforged Tribe chosen arrived at Sword Cliff to claim the fertile land.
Among them were two adult bipedal flying dragons, who nested atop the towering cliffs, transforming the area into a strategic outpost.
This added another piece to the Ignis Dragon Clan's territorial puzzle in the southwest.
Meanwhile, Garos recuperated in Dragon Valley.
He engaged in light training while reflecting on his battle with the Chimera.
Especially his insights into the Cold Exploding Scale, as well as his mastery of the blade tail, dragon qi, and Gun Wing.
Meanwhile, on the Estonian Great River...
The midday sun baked the river's surface, sending shimmering heat waves rising from the water. Three deeply laden merchant ships glided along the riverbank.
The guild crest on each ship's bow glinted in the sunlight, its design resembling a shield. They belonged to the Iron Shield Merchant Guild, a small trading organization.
Using the Estonian Great River, they acquired raw materials like ores and the claws, fangs, and pelts of ferocious beasts from the Sierre Wilderness and the Frontierlands at low prices. These resources were then transported south to the federation and sold at high markups for profit.
The ships' captain was named Hammer.
He was a middle-aged man dressed in simple clothes, appearing honest and straightforward. Yet his eyes occasionally flashed with shrewdness, revealing him to be a shrewd and experienced merchant who couldn't be judged by his appearance. He held a position of some influence within the Iron Shield Merchant Guild.
"Captain, why didn't we stop at the Insect Eater Clan when we passed them earlier?" a guild apprentice asked in a low voice. "We have a regular trade relationship with them. Those Hyena-Men are masters of dissection—they always process the pelts, claws, and fangs of ferocious beasts and demonic creatures so well."
The Insect Eater Clan...
A jackal tribe from the Sierre Wilderness had traded with the Iron Shield Merchant Guild many times.
But this time, the fleet passed through the territory of the Insect Eater Clan without stopping for even a moment.
Hammer shook his head slightly. "The value of goods is not fixed. A skilled merchant must adapt to market fluctuations."
He didn't mind speaking at length with the apprentice, enjoying the apprentice's adoring gaze.
After a pause, Hammer turned south. "The nations of the Lothurn Federation are recently experiencing a surge in demand for all types of metal and magic ores, and they are paying premium prices."
After the funeral bell of the Holy Kingdom fell silent, the Lothurn Federation appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents grew increasingly turbulent.
Ores suitable for crafting weapons, armor, war golems, and alchemical weapons were being bought up at prices far above market value, leading to shortages. Many alchemical factories received massive orders, and their furnaces and production lines began operating around the clock.
Merchants, with their keen instincts, sensed danger. Though no official news circulated and the nations maintained a facade of harmony, they could smell the approaching storm and felt a sense of unease.
The winds of change were gathering.
Yet, all merchants who had built their fortunes on water knew one truth:
The rougher the seas, the more valuable the fish!
Now was the perfect opportunity to cross class boundaries.
"Our goal is to return fully loaded with valuable ore and make a fortune," Hammer said with a smile to his apprentice, pulling his thoughts back from their wandering.
"Bring me a bottle of wine from the hold," he instructed.
Their destination was the southeastern Frontierlands.
Though the goblins of the Gold Tooth Tribe were greedy, shameless, full of lies, and obsessed with haggling, Hammer had become adept at dealing with them, nearly establishing a fixed trade route with the tribe.
If everything goes smoothly, we'll make several more round trips like this, returning fully loaded each time.
I could amass in a short time the wealth of several lifetimes.
Hammer thought, pulling out a gold coin engraved with intricate floral patterns. Besides the exquisite designs, tiny script was etched onto it:
The essence of wealth is flow; stagnant coins are mere metal.
This was a tenet of the Goddess of Wealth.
Hammer lightly kissed the coin and silently prayed to the goddess, hoping this voyage would bring a full cargo and safe return.
Deep down, he didn't truly believe in gods, but that didn't stop him from praying.
(End of the Chapter)
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