Chapter 59: Golden Thunder King.
As the taste of mushroom pig flesh bloomed familiarly in Jié Jié’s mouth, realization dawned upon him. He tasted the essence of a seasoned Male Fire Dragon within this swine. Could it be that this pig was the half-brother of the cooking utensils? Impossible even to imagine with one’s toes. As they ate, his head bumped against Large Thunder Wolf Dragon’s, and he saw greed and longing reflected in each other’s eyes. Indeed, this mushroom pig contained some form of magic. More precisely, an energy that elevates lifeforms into seasoned warriors.
Jié Jié swallowed large chunks, pushing Large Thunder aside. “Roar!” Large Thunder bashed his head away but helped tear off a bigger piece of meat in the process. Bewildered, Large Thunder stared at the last big chunk in Jié Jié’s mouth. With a gulp, Jié Jié claimed the meat before Large Thunder could react. Turning around, Little Thunder had already licked clean the crushed remains of the mushroom pig. The nineteen-meter-long furry child curled up, emitting pitiful whimpers.
Ignoring it, Jié Jié delved into his dream space. Newly appeared blue light particles were clearly visible, undoubtedly from consuming the special mushroom pig. His mind buzzed with thoughts of finding another or tracing the source of its transformation—likely similar to the crystals in the reservoir atop the Ancient Trees.
He wanted to investigate alone but Large Thunder’s tail slapped his claw, waking him. It was time to end today’s hunt. Large Thunder would take him to the gathering place where the leader would decide if this pig-eaten newcomer would be accepted.
Through their gazes, Jié Jié understood the significance of what lay ahead. Calming himself, he left a large pile of droppings under nearby trees as territorial markings for future reference.
Continuing forward, they occasionally marked trees or memorized the surroundings, heading towards the northern lush areas. Through gaps in the foliage, Jié Jié spotted the mountains separating Coral Land Plateau from Ancient Tree Forest. The terrain rose steadily, hidden beneath dense foliage, becoming increasingly rugged.
Besides himself and Large Thunder, signs of other Thunder Wolf Dragons increased. They frequently encountered others who sniffed him or brushed past, rubbing their bodies. Some showed hostility, growling menacingly. Sniffing them back revealed youthful, energetic males brimming with hormones.
Some aimless ones followed them into a valley. Resting atop a massive rock was a Thunder Wolf Dragon at the species’ size limit, comparable to Jié Jié. Its fur bristled, right horn larger than the left, body perpetually supercharged with ozone-scented electricity. Most importantly, its lightning was golden instead of blue.
Golden Thunder King, one of two named individuals, leader of the Thunder Wolf Dragon clan, existing only in travelers’ tales. On the way, over thirty distinct howls were heard. Such density of Large Monsters made this area forbidden to humans, no wonder it remained legendary.
Perhaps forbidden not just for humans; Jié Jié hadn’t seen herbivorous dragons easily preyed upon here, mostly cautious Fairy Deer. Even while resting lazily on the rock, Jié Jié felt an overwhelming instinctual pressure from the Thunder Wolf Dragon.
Golden Thunder King attracted some of Jié Jié’s thunderbugs, which clashed with golden ones, killing ordinary ones mid-air. Spotting twitching charred bugs, Golden Thunder King opened his eyes, glaring down at Jié Jié. One eye was missing, the other surrounded by grotesque scars.
“Grrr.” Golden Thunder King slightly bared teeth, scrutinizing the outsider, searching memories for recognition. The mounting pressure broke like a bubble popping. Jié Jié straightened his bent limbs, raising his head to meet Golden Thunder King’s gaze, ready to transform and flee if needed.
Instincts faded in the alien soul as Jié Jié observed Golden Thunder King. The latter merely licked his lips, smoothing out his wrinkled face. Free from instinctual filters, this act seemed oddly cute amidst regal demeanor. Without ceremony, Golden Thunder King returned to his restful position on the rock.
Despite radiating golden lightning like a Saiyan, Golden Thunder King exuded laziness. Jié Jié wasn’t driven away; the clan accepted him. After watching Golden Thunder King for a while, he turned to inspect the valley. Besides adults, there were numerous young Thunder Wolf Dragons. The smallest ones lacked fully developed shells and scales, covered only in fur, resembling puppies despite their horns.
“Suuuuck!” Jié Jié couldn’t help but emit strange sounds, drawing attention from pups and others, even prompting Golden Thunder King to glance at him again. Realizing the intruder was staring at their cubs, mother Thunder Wolf Dragons growled protectively, shielding them with their tails.
The number of pups was high due to the recent breeding season. If all survived and grew, the clan might reach forty members. These weren’t small mammals but Large Monsters requiring substantial daily food intake. Seasoned Herbivore Dragons rich in nutrients were scarce, Fairy Deer provided decent nutrition but low meat yield. So what did they eat?
