Chapter 39: The Veteran’s Hope
A massive lake was perched atop the crown of the Ancient Tree, surrounded by towering branches that formed a natural basin. Numerous small streams cascaded from the edges, nourishing this three-dimensional forest known as “Ancient Tree.”
It almost felt like some kind of automatic water dispenser.
Jie Jie thought about this while occasionally adjusting his shoulders to keep the two baby fire dragons balanced.
The soil on the crown was loose and damp, primarily composed of decaying branches and organic matter. Mixed in were remnants of charcoal from when the ancient tree had been struck by lightning.
Rich in nutrients and water, yet strangely devoid of life compared to beneath the tree. He wondered if tossing some fish into the lake might help liven things up.
Jie Jie stared at the lake’s bottom, where a colorful glint caught his attention along the shore, but it was hard to make out clearly from above the surface.
He watched for a long time, feeling an irresistible urge drawing him closer.
The Sky Dog Beast set down its burden, patting the two young dragons to calm them before leaping high into the air. Transforming mid-air into a bite-fish creature, it splashed noisily into the water.
Swimming and breathing underwater came naturally to aquatic creatures, and Jie Jie quickly adapted, swimming towards the source of the colorful glow.
What attracted him turned out to be a crystal. Upon touching it, he felt a tingling sensation, much like the energy transferred from eating seasoned veteran dragon meat.
When he tried to examine it again, the crystal dimmed, losing all its brilliance.
Jie Jie swam around the lake floor, searching for more. He found faint protrusions, remnants of what seemed to be fossilized bones. These fossils had mostly turned to stone over millennia, scattered across the lake bed, with only small portions existing as crystals.
Upon contact, these crystals lost their color, becoming part of the fossilized remains.
His instincts told him there was nothing more to gain from these bones. They had been completely replaced by inorganic materials, bearing no resemblance to their original biological structures.
Chewing on them would be like chewing rocks.
The bite-fish broke the surface and climbed ashore. Iron Pot was dragging the load towards Porcelain Bowl but remained at a fixed distance due to the bindings, looking rather clumsy.
Shaking off the wet fur, the Sky Dog Beast’s mind drifted inward. In the dreamspace, a new wallpaper appeared, faint blue light swirling around.
Just a little bit, perhaps more areas of the skeleton remained crystalline, filled with more blue light.
The purpose of this energy was unclear, but recalling the presence of a veteran individual here earlier gave him a vague idea.
He really needed to explore more. Finding the Gathering Demon Land would be especially beneficial.
Crystals in the New Continent always seemed connected to dragon veins, earth veins, spirit meridians, etc., and so did the unique veteran individuals of the New Continent.
Looking ahead, the scenery was monotonous, seemingly uninteresting.
Time to leave. It got too cold up high, and too crowded when it warmed up.
As much as he wanted to fight, constantly patrolling and maintaining territory was troublesome. Mostly, he just didn’t like being bothered.
The Male Fire Dragon approached the two young ones, biting the middle of the burden with its mouth while hooking the bag containing the dragon eggs with its claws.
No need for a running start, a few flaps of the wings and a stamp sent him soaring into the sky.
“Roar~ Roar~”
The young dragons hung from the burden in his mouth, spreading their wings to catch the wind controlled by Jie Jie as he flew.
Born less than three days ago and already flying, Iron Pot and Porcelain Bowl were far ahead of other young dragons still struggling in the Giant Ant Hill Wasteland.
Considering the vast expanse centered around the Ancient Tree Forest, there should be many fire dragons not concentrated there. Female Fire Dragons shouldn’t always go to the wastelands either.
Thinking about how land-dwelling queens abandoned by scumbags face the terrestrial curl-dogs, perhaps the barren Giant Ant Hill Wasteland is the best place to raise offspring.
After all, not everywhere has a natural high ground like the Ancient Tree to escape those iron heads, iron fists, and tail blades of terrestrial curl-dogs. Even Male Fire Dragons must descend somewhat to engage in combat.
Jie Jie felt like a mothership now, carrying fighter jets under the wings of a giant bomber.
Or like Pokémon’s Hydreigon, storing his pups in the hollows extending from the sides of its head, ready to launch them like missiles.
Feeling the chaotic air currents stabilize, Jie Jie glanced around near the Ancient Tree, spotting the previous lake.
Some bones still clung to the central roots, the only trace left of the Savage Jaw Dragon.
“Roar!”
Dodging an incoming Male Fire Dragon, Jie Jie landed diagonally near the lake.
Setting down the burden and dragon eggs, he returned to the sky, charging towards the provoking Male Fire Dragon. This would add to his food reserves.
Without unnecessary roaring or posturing, Jie Jie slammed the fire dragon mid-air, causing it to stumble. Claws grabbing, teeth biting.
Come down!
Instead of entering an aerial entanglement, the Male Fire Dragon transformed into a muscular Savage Jaw Dragon, using its weight to disrupt the opponent’s flight balance, pulling both towards the ground.
The fire dragon struggled but was tightly held by the Savage Jaw Dragon. Both dragons flipped in the air, unsure who would end up on the bottom.
The ground grew closer. The Savage Jaw Dragon re-spread its wings during the spin, and Jie Jie, in fire dragon form, hurled the opponent straight to the ground.
“Roar~ Ugh, ugh.”
The falling fire dragon hit the ground dazed, but its robust physique and wing cushioning kept it relatively unharmed.
As it tried to stand, Jie Jie, briefly hovering, jumped onto its back in Savage Jaw Dragon form.
“Rawr!”
The terrifying weight combined with the momentum of falling forced the rising fire dragon back down onto its knees, groaning painfully.
Next, it was time for the Black Wolf Bird to swiftly open the can!
After numerous battles with fire dragons in the morning, this combo became second nature.
The back shell might be the hardest part of a fire dragon, but fighting while flipping in the air is much harder than facing an enemy head-on.
Jie Jie didn’t need to break through the back armor; he simply used wisdom to force the opponent down, making the rest easier.
Transforming back into a Savage Jaw Dragon, he bit the male fire dragon’s tail and dragged the corpse towards the lakeside.
Who would have thought that the once powerless Hairy Spider, raging futilely against fire dragons, would now become a monstrous beast capable of consistently hunting them?
He’d only been gone a short while; the two young ones should be fine.
And indeed, they were.
The two fire dragons were trying to free themselves from the ropes binding them. Seeing the Savage Jaw Dragon crash through the woods dragging a fire dragon corpse, they stopped their efforts.
