Chapter Forty-One: Hard as Iron

The brute’s strength was truly terrifying, and the dragon—already gravely wounded—was hurled by Shaya beneath the giant boulder, left dizzy and dazed. Its massive head drooped toward the ground, panting heavily, and though it tried to shake itself upright, it could no longer lift its head.

As Shaya charged forward, Dodoro was so frightened his hands went numb. With a thud, he tumbled from Shaya’s back, landing near the enormous dragon. His legs trembled uncontrollably and a desperate urge overtook him; sprawling on the ground, he shivered in terror.

My god! Is this guy even human? He actually managed to flatten a dragon! Even the legendary Beast Soul Berserkers weren’t said to possess such brute force!

He recalled how, just moments ago, this man had casually hefted a boulder the size of a small hill and flung it away with ease… And he, Dodoro, had dared to clutch this fearsome brute’s neck for dear life? If the man had harbored any murderous intent, a single flick would have reduced Dodoro’s bones to shards.

At this realization, Dodoro’s complexion turned ashen, and he dared not utter a word of complaint against Shaya.

Shaya rushed over to Ada’s side and finally set the poor wretch down. Ada shot him a cold glance and said coolly, “What are you doing here? Weren’t you enjoying yourself eavesdropping back there just now?”

Shaya straightened his back and replied with righteous gravity, “That’s not the right way to put it. You and I are companions now, and as companions, we should stick together through thick and thin. Seeing you in danger—especially since you’re my Sosso—I couldn’t just leave you behind! No matter what, I had to come save you!”

Ada’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. “Oh, is that so? Then why did you hide at a distance for so long without stepping in? Only after you heard our conversation did you finally—”

He paused, his gaze roaming over Shaya’s face. “You realized I’m a dragon too, didn’t you? So you rushed over to curry favor, and since this dragon is seriously injured and no longer much of a threat, when else would you seize the advantage?”

Exposed, Shaya’s face showed no sign of embarrassment—a testament, perhaps, to the unique education his old man had given him. Shaya chuckled dryly and said in earnest, “The dragon suddenly lashed out. I was worried she’d hurt you.”

Ada shook his head. “You’re certainly bold and thick-skinned—lying without batting an eye. You’re a strange one.” He snorted. “Since I dared stand before her, I naturally have ways to protect myself. I hardly needed rescuing from you! You ruined a good thing for me, do you realize?”

The dragon had been thoroughly battered by Shaya. Normally, even with his strength, a single boulder wouldn’t have felled a dragon, but this one was gravely wounded and her protective draconic aura had weakened. After panting on the ground for some time, she finally managed to lift her head, her enormous eyes searching but failing to see Shaya. She let out a low growl: “Despicable human! Who ambushed me?!”

At such close range, the dragon’s roar left Shaya’s ears ringing. The gaping maw so near unsettled him, but with Ada smirking coldly at his side, he could only steel himself. Raising his fire trident, he struck a heroic pose. The poor wretch at his side, heart pounding, watched the dragon lift her head, clutching at Shaya’s sleeve in terror—if only he could strangle this fool right now.

If you want to play the hero, go ahead yourself! Why drag me along?!

Ada sighed. “Dora, you’re finished today. If you have any last words, out of respect for our acquaintance, leave them with me.”

The dragon’s fury was palpable. With a roar of frustration, she wriggled and tried to retreat, struggling to stand but collapsing once more. Suddenly, her tail swept out in a wide arc.

The massive tail, its ridged tip slicing through the air, sent a gale Shaya’s way, nearly suffocating him. He snatched up the poor wretch and leapt back. The dragon’s tail missed, and as Shaya landed, gasping for breath, Ada’s voice came from nearby: “Weren’t you playing the hero? Why run so fast?”

Turning, Shaya saw that Ada was already beside him—this guy moved even faster than he did?!

The dragon turned and staggered up the mountain, each step crushing the ground beneath her. Shocking trails of dragon blood, a strange red-green hue, steamed upon the rocks.

Ada made no move to give chase. He glanced at Shaya. “The treasure you seek is in the dragon’s lair. Do you have the courage to claim it?”

Shaya thought, I’ve come this far, and the dragon’s half-dead—maybe less than half. What’s there to fear?

He steeled himself, patted the poor wretch. “Watch as I slay the dragon!”

When this bumpkin set his mind to it, his courage surged. Brandishing the fire trident, he ran after the dragon, caught up from behind, and leapt onto her back. Even prone, the dragon stood nearly ten meters high and stretched dozens of meters long—like a mountain of flesh. Shaya landed unsteadily on her back, while the dragon, oblivious, continued her desperate climb. Balancing himself, Shaya crept along her spine, finally reaching the base of her neck. With a loud shout, he gripped the fire trident in both hands and drove it down with all his might—

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out as a patch of blue-green scales was pierced. The trident drove deep, nearly to its hilt. Beneath him, the dragon groaned in pain and shook her neck. Shaya lost his footing and nearly toppled, but clung desperately to the trident and managed to hold on.

The dragon seemed intent only on returning to her lair. With several more shakes, she surged upward, Shaya dangling and swaying from her side.

He had been reckless. Though the fire trident was razor-sharp, easily puncturing the dragon’s scales, it was still too small—like a toothpick to such a massive beast. Even plunged deep into flesh, it could hardly be fatal.

For a human, a jab from a toothpick hurts, but unless it strikes a vital spot, who would die from it?

As Shaya hung on, a shadow suddenly darted up beside him. Looking up, he saw Ada—God knows how—had also leapt onto the dragon’s back. Ada gave a cold smile, smeared some dragon blood from where the trident had pierced, and after rubbing it between his fingers, reached down and hauled Shaya up.

“How do you move so fast?” Shaya asked, baffled. “It’s almost like flying!”

Ada shook his head and didn’t answer, only sighing, “Don’t waste your strength. She only wants to crawl back to her lair and breathe her last. Among our kind, it’s a habit: even in death, we hope to die within our lair.”

The dragon’s wounds were too severe; her wings hung limp. She dragged herself to the mountaintop and collapsed at the entrance to the cave, half her body inside, unable to move another step.

After a few weary sighs, Ada jumped down, patted the dragon’s neck, and asked, “Dora, have you nothing to say to me?”

The dragon’s voice had weakened. “Darwin, don’t think I’ll lift your curse. I’d rather die first!”

A cold glint flashed in Ada’s eyes. He replied icily, “If you won’t, then I’ll have to be merciless.”

He opened his mouth, drawing back his neck, and spat out an object—a semi-transparent crystal, amber in hue and about the size of a pigeon’s egg. Who knew how he’d kept it hidden in his throat.

Shaya’s eyes widened as Ada sneered, “I came prepared, you venomous creature. You think dying is so easy? I’ll claim your dragon soul, prevent you from returning to the Sacred Tomb! Your corpse will remain here, turning to bones. I’ll bring magicians to refine you into a wretched bone dragon! The noble Dora transformed into an undead dragon—that would be quite amusing, wouldn’t it?”

Ada’s words carried an icy chill, and his flawless, delicate face made even Shaya shudder inwardly.

Ada’s gaze swept over. “What are you waiting for? The dragon’s lair is right there—aren’t you going to claim your treasure?”

Shaya paused, pulled the trident free, and when he landed, noticed a strange weight in his hand.

The fire trident felt heavier than before.

He looked down—its blackened surface seemed unchanged, dull and unadorned, with no glint of sharpness. Nothing was visibly different, yet a sense of oddity nagged at him.

After a moment’s thought, he realized—there was no blood on the trident.

Legend had it that only the sharpest divine weapons could kill without staining themselves. Could this trident truly be that sharp?

He ran his hand over it—indeed, not a trace of blood.

But why did it feel heavier? Shaya was puzzled, then shrugged it off. He must just be tired, his arms weak.

Ada sat cross-legged beside the dragon’s head, wearing that chilly smile, gently stroking the dragon’s skull, silent, as if waiting patiently for death.

The dragon could no longer move. Blood oozed from her many wounds, her strength spent, her breath ragged, her great nostrils exhaling more slowly with each passing moment.

With a glance, Shaya strode into the dragon’s lair.

The mountaintop cave was vast, but not deep—it was possible to see the end at a glance. Charging in, Shaya was struck as if by lightning, frozen in place.

Treasure! Treasure?!

He gaped at the heap before him, piled like a small mountain, his jaw dropping, throat croaking, his face contorting in disbelief…

After a long moment, the bumpkin let out a heartbroken, thunderous wail.

“This is the damned treasure?!”

It was said that dragons loved shiny things… That much was true.

It was also said they loved items that were clear and translucent… Also true!

But the tales that spoke of gold, diamonds, and gems filling dragon lairs—they were wrong!

In this world, dragons were few, but not so rare. If each one hoarded gold and gems, how much would be left for all the world?

So, before Shaya lay a vast heap…

A vast heap of miscellaneous stones! All shapes and sizes—round, oval, square, jagged…

Each stone sparkled with glimmering grains—but these were most definitely not precious gems!

Though Shaya hailed from the mountains, he knew these things well. They were called “quartz.”

Not especially hard, and rather brittle. There was a mine behind the mountain near his home, where human traders would sometimes collect stones like these.

Their greatest use?

Making glass.

…

Shaya went berserk! He tore through the heap, frantically digging, and eventually found only a few thumb-sized bits of metal—maybe, possibly, gold?

There was indeed gold, but compared to the mountain of glass stones, it was pitifully little!

Furious, Shaya’s eyes turned bloodshot. He dashed out, roaring at Ada, “Where’s the treasure? Where’s the gold? The treasure? It’s all just rocks! Piles of glass stones!”

Ada seemed unsurprised. Sitting there, he smiled faintly. “You saw for yourself?”

“I saw! A mountain of stones! Glass stones! Don’t think I don’t know what they are—they’re everywhere behind my home! I wanted gold! Gems!”

Ada laughed, mocking, “Gold? Most of the world’s gold is minted into coins by human empires, or hoarded by the wealthy. How much do you think a dragon could amass? Maybe in the far north, in the dragon lands, you’d find plenty, but here, in the heart of the continent among humans, Dora was in hiding. Why would she risk collecting gold? If she’d gone around snatching it, humans would have found her long ago—doesn’t that seem obvious?”

Shaya opened his mouth to protest, but found no argument.

“But—I came for gold! If there’s no profit, I get angry!” Shaya gripped the trident, eyes blazing.

Ada smiled, gesturing at the dragon. “Treasure? The dragon herself is worth more than a mountain of gold!”

He touched a wound on her neck. “See this blood? Dragon’s blood is highly magical. Smear it on yourself and your body will become hard as iron, able to withstand most attacks! In ancient legends, dragon slayers bathed in dragon’s blood to become invulnerable—and there’s truth to it.”

Shaya froze, then dashed over, stripping off his shirt before Ada’s eyes and scooping up handfuls of dragon’s blood to rub over his body.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. Remembering Ada’s words about “hard as iron,” the bumpkin’s eyes gleamed. He glanced slyly at Ada, turned away, and grabbed another handful of dragon’s blood, applying it vigorously to his crotch…