Translator: AnubisTL
The land had been reduced to scorched earth.
At the center of the wreckage, the red-iron dragon walked a few casual steps before suddenly looking up and asking in a low, resonant voice, "little red-scaled dragon, where do you think you're going?"
In mid-air, Cahill, who had been quietly flapping her wings and trying to retreat from the red-iron dragon, froze. She slowly turned around and landed stiffly on the ground.
Her heart pounded with tension.
The powerful great evil dragon before her had saved her life, but she wasn't naive enough to believe he had acted out of pure altruism. His monstrously robust form, more ferocious than any dragon she had ever seen, exuded an oppressive aura that surpassed even that of the adult blue dragons she had encountered in her clan.
She had no doubt that if she displeased him, he might very well flay her alive and devour her on the spot.
"Great—"
Cahill carefully sniffed the air, her gaze sweeping over Garos's body. She noticed his wings, like a forest of sword-like thorn spikes—weapons in themselves—his four limbs as sturdy as forged steel, and the simultaneous presence of both red dragon and iron dragon traits.
After a moment's hesitation, she lowered her dragon head and said:
"Red-iron dragon, I thank you for your assistance. If this is your territory, please forgive my unintentional trespass."
She raised her dragon wing to reveal her wounds and said, "I was being pursued and had no choice but to seek refuge here."
For a little dragon who was so humble and knew her place,
unless the dragon was extremely chaotic and evil, a great evil dragon would rarely make things difficult.
Red dragon Cahill was known for her fiery temper, but in this life-or-death situation, when brute force was insufficient, her wisdom took precedence. In a few words, she explained her arrival and begged forgiveness for any offense she might have caused.
Garos approached the red dragon with measured, powerful strides.
Though he restrained his steps and landed his claws with deliberate calm, his overwhelming presence made Cahill feel as if the very earth was shaking beneath her.
With each step, his massive, sixteen-meter-long body seemed to grow taller and more imposing.
In Cahill's eyes, the approaching red-iron dragon loomed infinitely larger, making her feel utterly insignificant and crushing any thought of resistance.
Finally,
the red-iron dragon's body completely blotted out the massive moon, casting a shadow that enveloped Cahill from head to toe.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of dragon wings flapping through the air, churning the air into a continuous roar, no longer registered with Cahill. Her entire focus was consumed by the red-iron dragon before her. When she finally regained her senses, she was startled to find two more dragons had landed, surrounding her.
One was a red dragon whose scales shimmered like rubies, its breath thick with the stench of sulfur.
The other was an iron dragon, its metallic scales glinting like armor, its stern face and piercing gaze seeming to penetrate the very soul.
Under the triple gaze of these three massive dragons, Cahill, sensing imminent mortal danger, instinctively bared her teeth, her limbs tensing low to the ground, her dragon's ridge rising slightly as she adopted a battle-ready stance, prepared to fight to the death.
"Heh, you're young, but you've got a temper," Red Dragon Samantha said with a grin. "Little thing, drop that pointless defensive posture. If we wanted you dead, you'd already be dead."
Cahill reminded Samantha of her younger self—just as scarred, just as cornered and hunted. Yet instead of empathy, Samantha felt a strange satisfaction. Having once endured such hardship herself, she found it oddly satisfying to see another dragon in a similar predicament.
Oh, so I wasn't the only one who had embarrassing experiences when I was young.
Her heart instantly felt lighter.
"Calm down," the iron dragon said, his voice simple and direct. Spirit energy flowed over Cahill's mind like a gentle breeze, dispelling her tension and fear and bringing a sense of peace.
Cahill's gaze drifted among the three dragons.
After a second, she looked back at the red-iron dragon.
Even though the other two dragons exuded considerable pressure, it was clear who the true leader was among them. The red-iron dragon, silent and unmoving, still dominated the scene with an undeniable authority.
"Bear with it. It will hurt," the red-iron dragon suddenly said.
Cahill blinked, slightly puzzled.
But in the next moment, she understood why he had said that.
Red Dragon Samantha suddenly raised her massive claw and swiped through the air toward Cahill.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The arrows embedded in her body vibrated violently. Under some inexplicable force, cracks spread across them, and they shattered with loud snaps.
The sudden, searing pain made Cahill want to scream.
But she clenched her teeth, dug her claws into the ground, and forced herself to remain silent.
"Who are you trying to impress with that tough act?"
A wicked grin split Samantha's lips as she clenched her clawed hand through the air.
Her magic energy transformed into lightning-like tendrils, spreading through the metal arrows embedded in and around Cahill's body.
Then, a crisp shattering sound echoed from within Cahill. Even the heavy arrow that had pierced her body shattered into fragments, which Samantha's magic energy then yanked out of the wounds, trailing a cascade of steaming, crimson dragon blood.
Hiss! Roar!
The excruciating pain, both internal and external, finally forced Cahill to throw back her head and howl in agony.
Hearing that melodious cry of pain, Samantha nodded in satisfaction.
A few seconds later, Cahill felt her body lighten significantly. Freed from the obstruction of foreign objects, the dragonkind's formidable physical constitution kicked in, stabilizing her rapidly deteriorating condition.
For most other creatures, such a severe injury would have led to continuous decline and death without specialized treatment. Even if saved, they would likely suffer lifelong complications.
But for dragonkind...
As long as they survived the initial trauma, a deep sleep afterward would allow them to awaken as fierce dragons, completely free of lingering injuries.
"Drink this."
Garos produced a bottle containing a red, potion-like magic potion and handed it to the young red dragon.
This wasn't a high-grade potion pilfered from the red-silver dragon; it was a concoction brewed by the tribe's shaman sorcerers. While not particularly potent, it should at least help restore her vitality.
Cahill silently accepted the red potion, then tossed the entire bottle into her mouth, crushing and swallowing it.
As the potion entered her stomach, a faint warmth spread through her, making her feel slightly better and lifting her spirits a little.
Having survived the wilderness, Cahill knew there were no such things as free gifts.
Her mind worked with unprecedented clarity. She was certain that these dragons, having saved her and given her the potion, must want something in return.
However, given the vast disparity in power between them, she was utterly powerless to resist whatever they might demand. Therefore, she abandoned any pretense of resistance or vigilance, quietly accepting their actions.
"What price must I pay?" she asked.
"Hahaha! A clever red dragon, though not quite as clever as me," Samantha said, nodding seriously. Her expression then turned stern. "Little one, you must understand one thing clearly: we saved your life."
"Do you have any objections?"
As she asked this, the red dragon's pupils narrowed slightly, her voice dropping to a low, suppressed tone. She extended a claw and placed it on Cahill's shoulder, the weight of it making her body sway and nearly collapse to the ground.
"No," Cahill murmured.
"Speak up! I didn't hear you!"
"No objections! I know you saved my life!"
"Good," Samantha nodded in satisfaction, patting the young red dragon's shoulder.
The iron dragon's mature, cold voice followed, stating methodically, "Since there are no objections, from this moment on, your life belongs to Dragon Valley, to the Ironforged Tribe, and to us, the Ignis Dragon Clan."
Am I supposed to be exploited and ordered around like a servant?
Then I ran away from the Blue Dragon Clan for nothing?!
After all the sacrifices, the twists and turns, and still I can't escape my original fate.
A look of defiance flickered in red dragon Cahill's eyes.
Just then, the red-iron dragon, who had been silent for a long time, spoke. "What is your name?"
"Cahill," the young red dragon replied.
The red-iron dragon lowered his gaze to the juvenile dragon before him, his voice calm and deep as he slowly said, "Cahill, you will serve us faithfully for fifty years as repayment for saving your life. After that period, you are free to choose whether to stay or leave."
(End of the Chapter)
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