Dragon Hunt

Chapter 15 14· Dragon Hunt

As the guess materialized, Yuan Chen's expression turned somewhat strange.

Elemental Drakes, known as "little dragons" in the game, correspond to the "big dragon," Nash Baron, on the map.

In older versions, the little dragons' benefits were average, with a bounty of just over a hundred for each team member upon killing one.

Later, the designers realized the strategic value of little dragons was far less than that of big dragons, so they changed it to grant special global buffs, broadly categorized into damage, sustain, movement speed, and cooldown reduction.

After killing four, one could obtain an extremely powerful Dragon Soul, and the fifth, the Elder Dragon, could grant potent effects like execute and true damage.

Although in the game, any jungler could easily farm little dragons after getting one item, and even solo laners could achieve solo kills with their teammates' cover. But that's only in the game!

In the game, Garen can even solo kill the Dragon King!

As a type of dragon, the Elemental Drake, even with "Drake" in its name, doesn't mean it can be bullied by ordinary people. Demacia is powerful, right? It's one of the strongest nations on the Valoran Continent, and even when fighting Noxus on the battlefield, they are evenly matched, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage.

In terms of military strength alone, Demacia's Dragon-Bird Legion is practically invincible, possessing rare and powerful air superiority in Runeterra.

But so what? When Shyvana's mother, the Infernal Dragon K'z'o'z, launched her attack, all of Demacia was plunged into intense unease and fear due to the dragon's wrath.

Regardless of whether it was the Dragon-Birds or the Inhibitor Golems, the former were filled with anxiety due to the dragon's bloodline suppression, not even daring to spread their wings and cry out. As for the latter, a single charge would shatter them directly, rendering so-called magic unnecessary...

In the end, it was Shyvana herself who fought her mother desperately, saving Demacia from peril.

While the high-end combat power in the League of Legends universe is indeed incredibly formidable, with beings like the Cosmic Dragon King capable of creating and destroying stars with a single thought. Below these top-tier powers, the combat strength of most champions is quite ordinary.

At the very least, before obtaining a legendary profession, their strength is at most peak mortal. But no matter how peak a mortal is, they are still only mortal. On the battlefield, they can at best turn the tide of a regional battle, but they cannot influence the entire war.

Facing the saturation bombardment of an army, the most they can do is inflict more casualties before dying.

It's like the martial arts masters in wuxia novels. Facing encirclement by an army, heroes like Garen and Darius can kill many people, and they can escape, but they cannot win.

They might even need luck to escape. After all...

Fun fact: Darius's Noxian Great Hook was once captured by Sejuani.

It was Darius's good luck that he wasn't turned into a Star-Gazer.

Despite its name, the Infernal Dragon K'z'o'z's power far surpasses that of ordinary drakes, but the problem is, this is Ixtal, the most prosperous and flourishing place for Elemental Magic.

Aside from the Elemental Spirit Beasts, which are only simply described in the background lore, the Elemental Drake is the undisputed strongest creature in this primeval jungle!

Without an entire fully staffed army, facing an Elemental Drake with home-field advantage is no different from throwing your life away.

It can be said that on the entirety of Runeterra, apart from demigods, Aspects, Void Watchers, and top-tier or high-tier combatants like the Vastaya Shuray, even the Ascended of Shurima would have a tough time against an Elemental Dragon.

Well, for the vast majority of people, dragons and elemental drakes are the same species... both powerful and invincible.

The Meat-toothed Beast tribe...

Indeed, the hunting instincts and physiological talents of the Meat-toothed Beasts were second to none in Runeterra, their strength several times that of ordinary humans. Even someone of Rengar's build would be considered underdeveloped in the Meat-toothed Beast tribe.

But when it came to true talent, unless their ancestor Vastaya Shuray himself showed up, any number of them would just be fodder.

No, it shouldn't be an Elemental Drake... Yuan Chen thought with a headache. It should be a large wild beast, something like a Sharpmane Beast.

After all, Elemental Drakes were usually driven off by nations or city-states... and that was just driving them off. If they were to actually hunt one, a rampaging Elemental Drake could destroy more than half a city before dying.

Didn't Ixialia just choose to coexist with the Drakes?

"Their target is an Elemental Drake."

"Damn it."

Hearing Nedeli's words, Yuan Chen couldn't help but roll his eyes, almost choking. Seriously?

Thinking this, Yuan Chen rubbed his temples and couldn't help but ask:

"Are those Meat-toothed Beasts brainless? Or have they never seen an Elemental Drake before? Even if their entire tribe, all five hundred of them, came, it would just be like the Elemental Drake getting a couple more mouthfuls, right?"

"I couldn't understand it at first either."

Hearing Yuan Chen's complaint, Nedeli, uncharacteristically, nodded in agreement.

As a Vastaya Shapeshifter who grew up in the wilderness, Nedeli knew better than anyone the terrifying power of Elemental Drakes. While not as formidable as the pure-blooded dragons hidden from the world, Elemental Drakes, as close relatives of pure-blooded dragons, possessed extremely powerful magic and physical strength, making them top-tier, all-around warriors biologically speaking.

She had wanted to complain for a long time, but her family members generally weren't very intelligent... You couldn't expect a pack of wild Cougars to possess human-level intelligence. Now that someone else was complaining, Nedeli couldn't help but show a look of speechlessness.

"And there are only about thirty of them, likely a small group within the tribe. However, they seem to have some confidence. After inquiring, they appear to have mastered some special method to weaken the dragon's power."

Nedeli paused, then continued to add:

"But I'm not optimistic about them... They have no idea what Ixialia's Elemental Drakes truly represent. Even a weakened Elemental Drake could kill them with ease."

After speaking, Nedeli struggled to get up and leaned her head towards a bone bowl filled with water beside her.

The depletion of nutrients had left Nedeli slightly dehydrated, and with her arms broken into at least nine pieces, she couldn't grip anything.

Yuan Chen fell into thought. As he pondered, he waved a finger. The next moment, the water in the bone bowl rose into the air, forming a crystal-clear water sphere that floated towards Nedeli.

Seeing this, Nedeli glanced at Yuan Chen. After a moment of silence, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, taking the water in.

It was just a casual gesture, and Yuan Chen didn't pay it much mind. Because after hearing Nedeli say:

"The Meat-toothed Beasts have a method to weaken the dragon's power," Yuan Chen had fallen into contemplation... Thirty hunters from the Meat-toothed Beast tribe dared to hunt a dragon; they must have some confidence in the methods they possessed.

His own trial should just be to drive away the Meat-toothed Beasts... but the Meat-toothed Beasts were clearly not that easy to drive away. After all, regardless of the outcome, the Meat-toothed Beasts themselves were natural hunters. Even if they weren't accustomed to Ixialia's rainforest ecosystem, they could still easily conceal their tracks.

If our opinions truly clashed, then my trial might be indefinitely postponed, turning into a game of hide-and-seek with no end in sight.

And hunting an Elemental Drake...

"Where is their camp?"

Hearing Yuan Chen's question, Nedeli, who had drunk her fill, paused slightly before hesitantly replying, "You...?"

"It seems unlikely I can drive them away," Yuan Chen said with a headache. "So I plan to make contact first... If possible, perhaps I can join the dragon hunt."

As he spoke, Yuan Chen narrowed his eyes... An Elemental Drake had plenty of valuable parts. If the others had the means to severely restrict and weaken the dragon, he could certainly get a share. After all, he still possessed local special resources...

Yuan Chen glanced subtly at Milio, who was outside trying to build rapport with the Cougars.

"I think you're crazy," Nedeli couldn't help but shake her head. After a moment of silence, she said, "Head north from the cave, and you'll find them. They've set up camp in the grasslands, probably preparing for a long campaign."

"Alright, I'll get ready to leave then. Please look after Milio for me."

Hearing Yuan Chen's decisive words, Nedeli couldn't help but raise an eyebrow--

She hadn't expected Yuan Chen to be so resolute about leaving immediately.

Thinking this, after a brief silence, Nedeli couldn't help but say, "Are you sure you want to join their insane endeavor? You must know that what they're doing is no different from seeking death, with less than a ten percent chance of success!"

"I'm enough."

Yuan Chen shook his head, a determined glint in his eyes.

The probability of hunting an Elemental Drake was indeed low... but not entirely impossible.

And in Runeterra, regardless of the region, a "Dragon Slayer" would receive the utmost respect.

Even if they killed an Elemental Drake and not a pure-blooded dragon, it signified that the Dragon Slayer possessed supreme skill, wisdom, wealth, ability, and fighting will.

Whether in Valoran or Shurima... even in Ionia, which advocated for harmony with all things, while they didn't encourage conflict with spirits, they would still treat a Dragon Slayer with courtesy.

His journey would absolutely not end in Ixialia, nor would it conclude with his return to Ionia. Since that was the case, having a "postcard" that could grant him passage anywhere in Runeterra was exceptionally important...

Moreover, even if he failed, it wouldn't matter. He could use the Elemental Drake to drive away those foolish Meat-toothed Beasts...

Risk and reward were always proportional; as long as he survived, it wasn't a loss!

Damn it, the bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish!!

With that thought, Yuan Chen repacked his belongings, using branches as a frame and animal hides as the outer covering. His backpack contained the remaining fifteen Dancer Blades and the last set of Axiom Wheels as he set off.

Watching Yuan Chen's departing back, Nedeli's brow was filled with a strange expression--

She didn't know how to describe Yuan Chen's reckless behavior. She didn't even know his name. They had only met once, and he had gotten himself into this state because of a fight.

It took a whole night just to recover my spirit, and now, as soon as I wake up, I'm setting off again, targeting an Elemental Drake...

"Ridiculous."

Nedeli muttered, shaking her head. After a brief silence, she continued to stretch her neck to drink water.

With Nedeli guiding the way, Yuan Chen was no longer a headless fly stumbling through the jungle. Instead, he headed straight north.

Through the dense forest, Yuan Chen could vaguely see a mountain peak in the distance. He wasn't entirely sure, but the dragon should be nesting somewhere on the peak. Before setting off, Yuan Chen had learned his current location—

More precisely, the location of Lupe's village. It was situated on the southern border of Ixial, by the coast, adjacent to the Miasma Jungle.

This mountain peak and dense forest were likely part of the mountainous region within the Miasma Jungle. Following the coastline north, it wouldn't take long to reach the Kumungu Mountains, then the town of Kumulag, and the Sunstone Bridge connecting the Valoran Continent and the continent of Shurima. Finally, there were the famous cities of Piltover and Zaun.

However, the presence of an Elemental Drake here meant it was a considerable distance from the Kumungu Mountains. Along the way, he was highly likely to encounter outposts established by Noxus for external exploration, as well as Piltover's development teams—

The toast Yuan Chen had eaten in the village earlier was introduced by the Noxians during their great exploration. This soft, sweet food was very popular among the people of Ixial, but due to limited contact, it was only circulated in coastal cities.

After trekking through the woods for about three hours, Yuan Chen stopped under a tree and took out water and fruit to replenish his energy.

During the previous battle, Yuan Chen's Ixialian Refined Leather Armor had suffered some wear and tear due to Nedeli's attack. The body armor was mostly fine and wasn't significantly affected, but the right arm guard, which bore the brunt of her frontal pounce, was torn to shreds by her claws.

The enchantment on this leather armor was achieved through a clever trick. Normally, enchanting weapons required inscribing spell patterns within a specified size limit, ensuring they were uniform, equal, and adhered to elemental axioms and constraints. Therefore, the smaller the weapon, the more difficult it was to enchant. This armor, however, used a simple, large-scale spell pattern.

A large spell pattern didn't necessarily mean a stronger effect. It simply meant the enchanter designed spell patterns of varying degrees on each component of the armor.

This lowered the difficulty of enchanting, but as a consequence, if any part of the armor was damaged, the set bonus of the entire armor would be directly nullified due to the missing component.

However, considering he had gotten it for free with Lupe's money, Yuan Chen didn't dwell on it. Instead, he replaced the damaged part with a piece of tough beast hide wrapped around his right arm for protection.

While resting, Yuan Chen's eyes suddenly twitched, and he immediately stood up, shouting to his left and right:

"Since you're here, come out! Hunters of the Meat-toothed Beast, no need to hide!"

In response to Yuan Chen's words, the Meat-toothed Beast hunters did not reply. They even became more stealthy.

Yuan Chen felt a bit helpless—Nedeli was difficult to handle, but you guys are even harder?!