Chapter 318: The Sacred Ceremony for the Old Mountain Dragon
What is honor?
It’s when a young hunter returns to the village with prey, and everyone in the village smiles and nods in respect.
It’s when your home upgrades from an ordinary hunter’s hut to a bright spacious house that overlooks the entire city.
It’s when you return from the boss hall to the brewery and are greeted by the admiration of young hunters who recount your stories.
It’s like the Great Elder and the Village Chief of Kekote, whose tales from hundreds of years ago are still sung today.
Not a fervent desire for honor, but something no one can resist—leaving a significant mark in history.
With the Ruin City of Queen Mantis as a fortress, they faced the Old Mountain Dragon.
“Though unexpected situations arose, this is undoubtedly a legendary experience.”
They didn’t aim to surpass the legends of those who repelled the Old Mountain Dragon before them; taking a solid step filled with courage was already a success.
“Even outside the fortress, the Strike Dragon Gun was stained with the Old Mountain Dragon’s blood.”
Although their evacuation during the earthquake was disheveled, the hunters’ faces were filled with joy, and they developed an inexplicable fondness for the owner of the ruin city.
“Hubble, that Strike Dragon Gun shot was amazing, causing effective damage.”
Because the Strike Dragon Gun tends to slide off the Old Mountain Dragon easily, the ones mounted on the fortress walls are multi-barreled, large and numerous, always causing effective damage.
But that Strike Dragon Gun was single-barreled and fired from the shaking ruins affected by the earthquake. Hitting successfully was nothing short of a miracle!
“Ah? Queen Mantis kicked me down, I didn’t fire the Strike Dragon Gun.”
The Great Sword wielder looked somewhat dejected, and the three hunters stared at each other.
If it wasn’t Hubble, it couldn’t be that the gun spontaneously discharged upon contact with the Old Mountain Dragon, so it must have been fired by Queen Mantis.
“The wisdom displayed is breathtaking, hard to imagine that the same intelligence that built the ruin city could understand and use the Strike Dragon Gun.”
Kempe also sat down, the mission difficulty seemed to be increasing.
Queen Mantis possessed immense strength and powerful silk-spitting abilities, which she creatively combined to perfection.
“And, when she returned to the ruin city, she didn’t attack us.”
The Katana Warrior had begun using “he” to refer to her.
“Because we were attacking the Old Mountain Dragon?”
“Perhaps, at least we can confirm it has no desire to prey on humans, and the material collection sites are all in abandoned fortresses.”
The Great Sword wielder stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“That battle happened because the fortress blocked its path, just like it blocked the Old Mountain Dragon’s path.”
“The fortress was built to block their paths, but none of us can determine whether… this Queen Mantis will attack human settlements later.”
Honor comes from the people being protected; they wouldn’t risk the safety of their fellow villagers for trivial gains.
Kempe paused:
“Our task is precisely for this. Let’s rest tonight, and continue investigating the scene tomorrow, along with that newly appeared large monster…”
He took out a signal flare from his pack and shot it towards the sky.
They had the Ancient Dragon Observation Ship as backup, and scholars needed their factual reports.
If Queen Mantis dies in battle, their investigation target might shift to the black dragon and the Old Mountain Dragon.
Compared to the latter two, he clearly preferred to investigate Queen Mantis.
“Phew, sleeping on the Ancient Dragon Observation Ship will be more comfortable. I can’t wait to see the expressions on the scholars’ faces.”
The female archer shook her high ponytail and smiled expectantly.
“I heard that the reason the Ancient Dragon Observation Ship can sail long-term is because the fuel is made from green-furred beasts’ excrement…”
Feeling everyone’s angry stares, the Katana Warrior quietly adjusted his faceplate, pulling his fingers as if zipping his mouth shut.
—Meanwhile—
The bulky figure of the Giant Halberd Dragon stretched longer, finally transforming into the much larger Old Mountain Dragon standing beside the fallen one.
Jié Jié felt his new form, his heavy body rising upright, the increased weight causing his feet to sink deep into the shattered ground.
Among heavyweight contenders, the Old Mountain Dragon’s length lags behind the Great Sea Dragon and the Peak Mountain Dragon, but excels in unrestricted terrain movement and having fully functional limbs.
Compared to ordinary Old Mountain Dragons, enjoying more benefits from dragon jewels, Jie Jié’s strength is greater and more agile, walking without the sluggish turtle-like pace.
The female Old Mountain Dragon lying on the ground became more delicate-looking, her numerous scars evoking sympathy.
But rather than caring about the female Old Mountain Dragon, Jie Jié turned around and focused more on the condition of his ruin city.
He transformed between the Old Mountain Dragon and the ruin city within the fissure in the ground. Though he immediately pushed away the Old Mountain Dragon after bursting out, his tail still swept over the ruin city, and subsequent actions of feeding on gunpowder and extracting the Strike Dragon Gun caused vibrations.
The giant feet of the ruin city stood steady, its tripod structure incredibly stable, though some parts fell into the fissure and couldn’t be retrieved.
There was another issue—the fallen Old Mountain Dragon blocked the way, hindering the movement of the ruin city.
Maybe she would wake up and burrow away herself, but he could take initiative…
Heeheehee~
Jie Jié bent down toward the Old Mountain Dragon, digging away the soil around and beneath her, then pressed her down carefully with his upper body, placing her gently into a pit as if preparing for a sacred ceremony.
Then, the ruin city stepped over the buried Old Mountain Dragon.
Transformed into Queen Mantis, Jie Jié checked the vital signs of the Old Mountain Dragon midway, only reassured after confirming the ruin city wouldn’t crush her.
He drove the ruin city away, leaving the Old Mountain Dragon who slowly woke up, bewilderedly looking around, and dived underground with a sense of surviving a calamity.
“Hmm? You followed?”
After traveling a bit further, Jie Jié stopped the ruin city, left it, and jumped to a corner, observing the approaching monster.
“Grrrr.”
The Thunder Wolf Dragon growled lowly, revealing fangs as its lips curled back.
Jie Jié recalled how after breaking free, this Thunder Wolf Dragon seemed to have collided with the moving Old Mountain Dragon, chased back and hit the moving ruin city, even leaping across it.
It also fought with the hunters trying to board the ruin city from behind but was quickly repelled.
Seeing the weapon marks on the Thunder Wolf Dragon’s claws, Jie Jié nodded understandingly.
Repelled yet following the ruin city? Because it’s safer behind the ruin city?
Both the Old Mountain Dragon and the Giant Halberd Dragon must have instilled unforgettable fear in the small Thunder Wolf Dragon.
And seeing Queen Mantis motionlessly staring at him without any response, the Thunder Wolf Dragon’s spirit faltered, hastily fleeing to the side.
“Eh~ If you want to follow, just follow—”
Realizing he had stared too long only after the Thunder Wolf Dragon fled, Jie Jié waved at its retreating back, emitting a series of chirps.
319
