Translator: AnubisTL
Raaar!
Garos, the red-iron dragon, swung his massive, scythe-like wings with a deafening roar.
The metal cages, each containing young dragons and juvenile dragons, shattered with a screech of twisting metal. However, the special chains that pierced their bodies, etched with alchemical runes, proved resistant to such brute force.
"Samantha! Solgorn!"
The red-iron dragon's deep roar reverberated across the battlefield.
His Cold Exploding Scales cracked and split across his body, the surging thermal energy within distorting the surrounding air. The two juvenile dragons, who had been pursuing the remaining dwarf soldiers, immediately turned and flew swiftly toward him, their wings beating rapidly.
"Release the chains and take them into the sky," Garos commanded.
Samantha understood instantly. With precise control, she manipulated the alchemy-enhanced chains, drawing them from the little dragons' bodies. With each pull, the young dragons let out pained whimpers.
Once the chains were removed, she seized the black and green young dragons in her powerful claws. With a violent flap of her dragon wings, she created a gale that sent them hurtling toward the heavens.
Iron Dragon Solgorn, with more delicate movements, lifted the young blue dragon into his claws and followed them into the sky.
The several dragons quickly converged in the high sky, the burning mining outpost on the ground already reduced to a tiny speck.
Soon, they had all ascended to the upper atmosphere.
"Those despicable dwarf bastards... One day, I'll return personally and make them taste the full fury of the dragon race's vengeance," the black dragon growled through gritted teeth, his voice raspy and filled with venom.
Samantha snorted a pair of sparks from her nostrils, her laugh cold and dismissive. "Heh, little one, I doubt you'll get that chance. At least you won't be killing any dwarves here."
"Why—"
The green dragon's question cut off abruptly as he sensed a terrifying heatwave rising from below.
All the little dragons instinctively stiffened their tails, struggling to maintain their composure as they stared in horror toward the mining outpost.
Mid-air, the red-iron dragon hovered, his massive, muscular body suspended by powerful wings. His Cold Exploding Scales had been nearly shattered by the earlier attacks and the golden lightning, revealing the black-red, battle-scarred patterns beneath.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
A wave of intense heat radiated from the red-iron dragon, his scales glowing red-hot like branding irons. The air around him warped violently.
Whoosh!
He inhaled deeply, a ball of fire shining like the sun held in his jaws. Then, with a deafening dragon's roar, he unleashed the blazing torrent.
Thermal Energy Amplification—Destruction Dragon Breath!
Boom—!
The blinding, radiant flames struck the ground like divine punishment from the heavens. The inferno spread in all directions, reducing the mining outpost to a sea of fire. Dwarves fleeing in panic were reduced to charred corpses, their sturdy buildings collapsing and melting under the intense heat.
The earth shook, and the sky seemed to tear apart.
Even from high in the sky, the young dragons could clearly feel the shockwave of heat carrying the aura of death.
They froze for a few seconds, and when they regained their senses, the red-iron dragon's menacing form loomed before them. The heat radiating from its body had yet to dissipate, and its battle-scarred patterns glowed like molten lava. An overwhelming pressure emanated from its entire being, and the searing heat washed over them.
"Go," the red-iron dragon commanded briefly.
In an instant, the Ignis Brothers streaked across the sky, their figures vanishing into the distance. Only the burning ruins and scorched earth of the mining outpost remained.
On their way back to the Frontierlands, Garos remained vigilant, his guard never dropping.
The first time they raided the Duchy of Raymond's mines, a high-level golem had pursued them through the sky shortly after. This time, the scale of the destruction was far greater, and they couldn't afford to be careless.
The Blackrock Principality's legions in the Sierre Wilderness were no threat to Garos.
However, the federal garrison required special vigilance.
Yet, as his wings swept across the wilderness sky, soaring over the Estonian Great River and reaching the Frontierlands, he found no trace of golems or powerful pursuers.
"Has the Federation's support response become sluggish?"
The red-iron dragon circled above the Frontierlands, gazing thoughtfully back toward the wilderness.
Since the Holy King's demise, the nations had maintained a facade of peace, but beneath the surface, each harbored its own ambitions. Undercurrents of tension surged as they secretly amassed strength, awaiting the opportune moment to erupt. In such times, even if the Blackrock Principality's garrison immediately requested aid, swift and effective support was unlikely.
In fact, this wasn't limited to the Blackrock Principality.
Across the Sierre Wilderness, the federal garrisons of various nations faced increasing threats. While the strongholds of the powerful kingdoms fared relatively well, the garrisons of weaker duchies recently found themselves under siege, with attacks by ferocious beasts and demonic beast lords becoming increasingly frequent.
Never underestimate the intelligence of wilderness monsters.
Some creatures remained unaware of the situation in the south, but they keenly sensed the anomaly. Abandoning their usual dormancy, they cautiously extended their claws and fangs to probe the federal garrisons' reactions. The garrisons' sluggishness only emboldened the monsters, encouraging them to press their advantage.
If this trend continued...
It wouldn't be long before the wilderness creatures, suppressed for centuries, would fully bare their fangs and seize territory and resources from the federation.
The sound of wing membranes tearing through the air gradually faded.
Sensing that the adult dragons had visibly relaxed upon entering the Frontierlands, the green young dragon's eyes darted around as it cautiously spoke, testing the waters with its voice: "Powerful kin, we thank you for saving our lives."
Until now, the young dragons remained unaware of Garos and the others' true intentions. They didn't know if they had been truly saved or if they had merely escaped the dwarves' imprisonment only to fall into a more perilous situation.
"Though our strength is meager, we will surely find a way to repay your kindness. If there's anything we can do, please command us without hesitation."
The green dragon's voice was humble and sincere as it subtly activated its innate negotiation-type quasi-spell skill.
Unfortunately, the vast power gap between them rendered its influence completely ineffective.
"We want your lives," Samantha suddenly grinned, baring her bone-white fangs with mischievous glee.
The little dragons froze instantly, their scales bristling.
Iron Dragon Solgorn added timely clarification: "More precisely, we want you to keep your lives and pledge your loyalty to us."
Samantha, her voice dripping with arrogance, continued, "Listen up, you mewling brats. Your lives are ours now. Any objections?"
Though she hadn't grasped the concept of ecological niches or consciously avoided occupying high-status positions, she was a natural at the demeaning and oppressive behavior of dominant dragonkind.
It was largely due to Samantha's "guidance" that White Dragon Treacy had undergone such a profound "awakening."
"A reasonable request," the green dragon forced a smile, while the black dragon remained silent.
Meanwhile, the young blue dragon, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly asked, "Did you encounter Cahill?"
These dragons had a clear objective: destroy the dwarf stronghold, rescue the captured dragons, and then swiftly disengage from the wilderness.
Upon reflection, it was clear that their true target wasn't the dwarves, but the dragons captured by them.
The dragons had been held for a very short time.
Such rapid support and rescue could only mean either extreme luck—some unforeseen circumstances—or involvement with the escaped red dragon Cahill.
The iron dragon's eyes flashed as he looked down at the young blue dragon he was holding.
"Name?"
"Heliam," the young blue dragon replied in a low voice.
Solgorn simply asked for his name and said nothing more, not explaining whether it was because of the red dragon Cahill. Heliam didn't press for an answer, remaining silent.
But the black dragon clearly had less patience. "Where are you taking us?" she demanded, squirming restlessly in Samantha's claws.
"Shut up, you black-skinned brat!" Samantha snapped, tightening her grip and nearly suffocating the black dragon.
She couldn't be bothered to explain. They'd understand once they reached Dragon Valley. First, she had to get them there.
The green dragon, also being carried, had been about to ask a question, but wisely closed her mouth after witnessing her companion's plight.
The sun rose brightly on the distant horizon, gradually illuminating the gray-blue sky. In the lingering twilight, several dragons flew deeper into the Frontierlands.
(End of the Chapter)
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