Not long after, the Serel Wilderness saw a long-awaited rain. Dark clouds filled the sky, and lightning danced like silver snakes within them.
Thunder suddenly roared, deafening to the ears. Rain poured down and the wind howled, as a thick curtain of rain submerged the Serel Wilderness.
The Red-Iron Young Dragon stood atop the highest hill in the heavy rain, water continuously sliding off his dragon scales.
Shua!
Lightning suddenly streaked across the night sky, illuminating the dim curtain of rain for a fleeting moment, and struck with precision toward the Red-Iron Young Dragon standing atop the hill.
Natural lightning is incredibly fast.
With the young dragon's current reaction speed, it was impossible for him to predict or dodge it.
However, Garros had no intention of dodging.
In fact, he was the one who had attracted this lightning.
The silver snake-like lightning descended from the heavens, perilously close to Garros, and struck the ground right in front of him—more accurately, it struck the Dark Gold Tail Ring placed on the ground.
The lightning appeared for only an instant.
When it dissipated, the surrounding night sky turned dim once more.
But on the surface of the Dark Gold Tail Ring, many tiny snake-like electrical arcs were jumping, and the runes engraved both inside and out lit up one by one.
Feeling the scorched scent in the air.
Garros felt a slight urge to try wearing the Dark Gold Tail Ring and guiding the lightning to strike himself.
It would definitely be painful yet exhilarating, he thought.
"Better not court death."
Shaking his head, Garros suppressed the impulse within him.
The power of natural lightning was already equivalent to a high-circle Spell. He hadn't undergone any corresponding lightning resistance enhancement; getting hit once wouldn't kill him given his body as a Dragonkin, but it would certainly leave him seriously injured.
He stepped back a few paces, quietly gazing at the Dark Gold Tail Ring while bathed in the wind and rain.
Time slowly passed, and lightning fell from time to time, accurately striking the Dark Gold Tail Ring.
After seven consecutive bolts of lightning, all the tiny runes upon it lit up. The entire tail ring even levitated, humming and vibrating as it emitted a dazzling electric light in the curtain of rain.
This tail ring was a gift from the Iron Dragon Mother.
It wasn't just a decoration; it was also an Alchemy item.
Alchemy on Planet Bernardo was highly developed, with Alchemy items being numerous and of high quality.
Alchemy items differed from conventional magic items in that they often didn't require the ability to use magic, but they did need specific methods to replenish their energy.
Whether they were Casters, warriors, knights, priests, or druids—no matter the profession of the transcendent being—as long as they were intelligent creatures with enough funds and channels, they would surely arm themselves with Alchemy items to enrich their capabilities.
As top-tier magical creatures, Dragonkin originally disdained the use of Alchemy items.
However, as the era progressed, the Alchemy items on this planet became increasingly sophisticated and powerful. Armies equipped with Alchemy items could pose a threat even to powerful dragons, even if they lacked top-tier individuals.
Out of necessity.
Dragonkin followed the trend of the times, using Alchemy items despite their initial resistance.
Because Dragonkin themselves were the most elite magical creatures, possessing resilient spirits and vast Demonic Energy, they were naturally adept at using Alchemy items and could use many of them simultaneously.
Within a few years, the dragons were singing its praises, shifting from resistance to acceptance.
Dragonkin armed with numerous Alchemy items were each incredibly formidable.
Various nations even issued explicit bans, prohibiting the trade of Alchemy items with Dragonkin.
However, Dragonkin would resort to plunder, and since they were highly intelligent magical creatures, there were also Alchemists among them. Furthermore, when the profit was sufficient, there were always intelligent beings willing to take risks to trade with Dragonkin.
In this way, Alchemy items gradually became popular among the Dragonkin.
The Dark Gold Tail Ring gifted by the Iron Dragon Mother was something she had once seized from another dragon. It could absorb and store natural lightning, and with a minimal amount of Demonic Energy and mental guidance, it could cast the Spell—Lightning Enchantment.
Activating Lightning Enchantment.
Lightning energy would harmlessly attach to one's limbs, stimulating the muscles to enhance strength and speed, while also adding lightning-attribute effects like paralysis and burning to attacks.
"It's charged to the limit. Time to put it on and try."
Garros hooked the Dark Gold Tail Ring with his tail and put it on.
Lightning Enchantment!
Zizi! A large number of silver-white electrical arcs erupted from the tail ring, instantly weaving a dense lightning network around Garros's tail, crackling continuously.
Unlike other dragons.
Garros's original intention for using Alchemy items wasn't to strengthen himself.
Rather, it was to use them to train himself.
Taking a deep breath, Garros prepared himself. He raised his tail high and then swung it down violently.
Pa!
The dragon tail, wreathed in lightning energy, lashed across Garros's own back. Fragments of dragon scales and electrical arcs splashed simultaneously, as the current penetrated everywhere, burrowing down through the gaps in his scales.
A needle-like stinging pain and a sensation of spasmodic numbness arose from within his body. His muscles were stimulated, and his back continuously bucked and twitched.
"That's the stuff! This is exactly the feeling I wanted."
Instead of being alarmed, Garros was delighted.
He became even more excited, repeatedly whipping himself with his tail using Lightning Enchantment.
By adapting to the attacks of various Alchemy items and increasing his resistance, he would have more confidence when facing crusades and sieges in the future.
In the Hemlock Forest below the hill.
"Could the Dragon Lord have some kind of mental illness?"
Watching Garros "self-harming," Mobel's eyes widened.
Meanwhile.
While Garros was immersed in his training.
Red Dragon Sister Samantha dragged her half-crippled right wing, walking through the muddy ground of the wilderness with unsteady steps, her dragon face full of daze and grievance.
Gurgle. The sound that suddenly erupted from her stomach was louder than thunder in Samantha's ears.
"So hungry..."
The young dragon clutched her stomach and sat down in the mud.
The torrential rain already made her feel uncomfortable, and now she was suffering from hunger. Samantha thought of the setbacks and hardships she had endured during this time, and for a moment, she wanted to burst into tears.
When she had first left the territory.
Samantha was in high spirits, eager to announce her arrival to the whole world.
She soon discovered a Goblin Tribe.
Goblins, creatures similar to Kobolds and Gnolls, were very fond of attaching themselves to and following Dragonkin. They were also one of the most common vassals under a young Evil Dragon.
Samantha landed ostentatiously before the Goblin Tribe, demanding they offer up everything and submit beneath her wings.
She thought that with a single display of her draconic might, she could make the goblins submit obediently, licking her toes and bowing before her.
But the result was.
The goblins first feigned submission, but once they realized Samantha was a solitary dragon who had been driven out by a dragon mother, they suddenly launched an attack on her.
Facing a large number of goblins who weren't afraid of her, Samantha was furious and prepared to crush these weak creatures.
And then.
One of the "weak creatures" in her eyes, the chief of the Goblin Tribe, came charging out piloting a massive, crudely-styled machine made of iron.
Samantha was greatly shocked, and after leaving behind a harsh word, she turned and fled.
Thanks to years of being oppressed by Garros.
She was very decisive when it was time to back down, and she narrowly escaped with her life.
Goblins did indeed like to follow Dragonkin, but what Samantha didn't understand was that this following had a prerequisite: they liked to follow powerful Dragonkin.
A lone young dragon driven out by a dragon mother?
Don't be ridiculous; that was simply top-tier Alchemy material delivered right to their door.
Not long after being struck by the blow from the goblins.
While Samantha was passing by a mine, she circled in the sky for a moment out of curiosity. As a result, she was spotted by the army stationed around the mine, which launched an attack on her.
Samantha escaped very quickly.
But a Crossbow Bolt engraved with runes still streaked across a thousand meters of sky and pierced through her dragon wing.
In the time that followed, because the injury to her dragon wing was severe and difficult to recover from in a short period, Samantha's hunting became increasingly difficult. When she was hungry to the extreme, she could only satisfy her hunger by gnawing on dirt and eating tree bark.