Humans and Dragons

Humans and Dragons

Relying on his night vision, Keosius steadily emerged from the mine, only to discover that the humans had not fled very far.

Though the battle just now had been dangerous, it had not actually taken much time.

Ordinary humans needed quite some time just to emerge from the deep mine, let alone amid such chaos.

Gold Tooth greeted him at the entrance, bending at the waist in an especially exaggerated pose. "O my great master, none can withstand your power. Not even the mightiest monsters can resist your flames."

From afar, the humans stared at the blood-soaked Red Dragon emerging from the cave, their faces filled with terror.

The monster in that mine had already been so terrifying. How powerful, then, must the dragon that had possibly defeated it be? They exhausted their last reserves of strength, desperately fleeing.

Many had already been devoured by the monster in the mine, while others had been crushed to death by falling rocks.

More than a hundred people had originally entered the mine, but only a little over fifty had escaped. Most of the rest had been buried forever in that dark, deep mine.

Gold Tooth sidled forward ingratiatingly and asked, "My great master, how should these despicable humans be dealt with?"

A crafty gleam flashed through the Kobold's eyes.

It had once been enslaved by humans. Now, its chance for revenge had come.

"I have my own plans."

The Red Dragon paid no heed, merely flapping his wings with difficulty and taking to the air to catch up with the crowd.

The crowd erupted in panic, fleeing with even greater desperation.

But how could running compare to flying? Before long, the shadow cast by the Red Dragon enveloped the frantic crowd.

Yet the people did not receive the flames they had imagined, nor the claws they had imagined, much less the gaping maw they had imagined.

"Humans, you have trespassed upon the territory of Ember Nest."

"But the merciful Red Dragon is willing to forgive your transgressions."

"This time, I will punish only the chief culprit as he deserves."

The Red Dragon then swooped down, skimmed over the ground, and seized only the most conspicuous one among them—the armored man, Hart.

Then he flew back to the cave entrance.

Hart, who had just been clutched in the Red Dragon's talons, was thrown heavily onto the ground. He immediately fell to his knees, not daring to rise at all. Even his tongue began to tremble with fear. "G-Great Dragon, I was wrong."

"N-no, don't eat me. I-I don't taste good."

The once arrogant slave trader was now trembling with terror.

Keosius looked down at him from above and discovered that Hart was actually a level-three fighter. Feigning anger, he said, "Who gave you the courage to invade Ember Nest's territory and steal a dragon's gold?"

In the Red Dragon's shameless propaganda, the gold mine had already become his personal property.

Seeing his former slave master in such a miserable state, the Kobold felt secretly delighted and could not help adding a threat. "You are nothing but a despicable human, yet you dare invade the great dragon's property and enslave the dragon's subjects. There is only one fate awaiting you—you will be torn to pieces!"

At the words "torn to pieces," Hart immediately collapsed onto the ground in fright.

His face was covered in snot and tears as he kept muttering, "I didn't do it. I-it was someone else's orders. Someone else sent me."

Hearing that there was someone behind him, Keosius became interested.

"Who?"

"Tell me the thief's name."

Hart sensed that there might be hope for survival. As if clutching at a lifeline, he answered without hesitation.

"It was Baron Todd!"

"Todd Lachman!"

Keosius's interest deepened at once. "From the Rackman Dynasty?"

"The so-called Eagle of the North Wind, ruler of North Wind Fortress?"

Hart nodded repeatedly, scrambling to answer. At the brink of life and death, his tone was utterly sincere.

"Yes, yes, Great Dragon. That Lakman."

Kneeling on the ground, Hart carefully raised his head, tears streaming down his face.

"Great Dragon, you must seek justice for me!"

"It was Baron Todd. He controlled me with evil magic and threatened me with my family's lives, forcing me to obey his orders and come here to violate your property."

Since matters had come to this, Hart no longer cared about any so-called loyalty. Staying alive was what mattered most. He would pin every bit of blame he could on that Baron.

"How interesting."

As Keosius knew, the old duke of the Rackman Dynasty was a Vampire. Most of his descendants had likewise become spawn or new Vampires, and this so-called Baron Todd was very likely a Vampire as well—an opportunity for him to gain intelligence on North Wind Fortress.

The Red Dragon grinned. "Where is this Baron Todd you speak of now?"

Hart froze for a moment before hurriedly replying, "Great Dragon, I can lead you to him. He must compensate you for your losses."

A textbook act of becoming a guide for the enemy.

"Good, but we must wait a while first."

The Red Dragon seized the human, beat his wings once more, and flew straight toward Ember Nest.

Ember Nest.

Keosius landed as before amid the Wyverns' welcome.

Only this time, the wounds covering his body gave rise to all sorts of speculation among his followers. Who could have injured him so badly? Yet no one dared voice a word, fearing they might anger the wounded Red Dragon.

Dolo the Hobgoblin also waited at the entrance with a squad of Dire Wolf Cavalry, his face full of flattery. The Red Dragon casually tossed Hart before the Hobgoblin and said, "Watch this human. Do not let him escape, and do not let him die."

"Yes, great master. I will certainly complete the task. I will never disappoint you again."

The Hobgoblin readily agreed, cracking his whip to give orders.

Several brawny Bugbears then carried forward a hide stretcher, placed the human on it, and carried him toward the military camp's dungeon.

Having given his orders, the Red Dragon flew straight back to Giant's Mouth Cave.

He went directly to the deepest part of the cave, moved aside the stones that had previously blocked the entrance, and said, "So that was it. No wonder I felt such palpitations before."

"It is time to clear out the hidden danger within the nest as well."

Keosius muttered to himself.

Then he leaped straight into the hole.

Inside, lava splashed everywhere, sending up billows of White Smoke and scorching vapor.

But to a Red Dragon, the boiling lava was no more than hot water, while the sulfurous heat made him feel even more at home.

He continued downward for a long while, descending an unknown number of meters before finally spotting another opening—only for it to be blocked by surging lava flowing down from above.

Splash!

The Red Dragon leaped out of the lava.

Lava scattered in every direction, scorching the hard rock.

Before him lay an impossibly narrow tunnel whose end could not be seen.

The entrance was only a little over four meters high. The Red Dragon had to draw in his wings as tightly as possible just to barely squeeze inside, and he continued feeling his way forward.