Bear Pack (Please Follow, Please Vote Monthly)

Countless stars dotted the sky beneath a night curtain like black velvet.

The Red Iron Dragonet stood on a towering, rugged cliff face, looking back as his gaze slowly swept over the entirety of Sinkhole Territory below. Especially the uneven stretch of ground beneath the cliff, filled with pits and hollows of varying depths, which held nearly all of Garos's memories from his hatchling days.

"There's no turning back now. I'm completely on my own."

Garos glanced at the two moons overhead, as well as the Magic Satellites mixed among the real stars, nearly impossible to distinguish. His mood grew slightly heavy.

Bernardo Planet's level of magic, especially its Alchemy involving magical creations, was extraordinarily advanced.

The many monsters and savage beasts in the Wilderness were secondary. The kingdoms formed by intelligent creatures were the truly dangerous threats.

"Arrogance, conceit, greed."

"These are the draconic instincts most likely to get a Hatchling Dragon killed. I must remain vigilant at all times and never be careless."

Hatchling Dragons that left their nests had only two possible endings—becoming a new natural disaster or turning into nourishment for the Wilderness.

Garos naturally had no desire to become nourishment, but he had no interest in becoming a natural disaster either. His goal was simple.

—To live, for as long as possible.

Only after dying once could one truly understand the preciousness of life. Garos treasured this draconic life deeply, which was why, after recognizing the dangers of this world, he had persisted in training and strengthening himself.

"Hahaha! I'll build a dynasty of my own! Countless creatures will submit beneath my wings and bow before me!"

Samantha's shouting into the night wind interrupted Garos's thoughts.

The six-year-old Hatchling Dragon was covered in fiery red scales. In the darkness, they looked like burning flames, dazzlingly vivid and brimming with lively vitality.

But such scales were not actually suited for survival.

They were far too conspicuous.

Garos, covered in a layer of dark gray Buffer Scales that nearly blended into the darkness at night, found it much easier to lurk and hide.

As for Iron Dragon Brother Gordon.

His black scales were somewhat better, but the faint silver gleam on their surface still made him rather noticeable.

And Iron Dragon Brother had an even bigger mouth than Red Dragon Sister.

"I'll establish a kingdom ruled by dragons, and then I'll rule over every dragon."

He planted his claws on a protruding rock, raised his head proudly, and declared his intentions to the world.

Garos was calm by nature and did not make a fuss.

Looking at the two Hatchling Dragons, the Red Iron Dragonet pondered briefly before saying, "Samantha, Gordon, you two should follow me and survive together."

Having two Hatchling Dragons under his command and sticking together would be more conducive to survival.

Moreover, Garos held a reverent respect for the perilous Wilderness. A year of exploration had also given him a better understanding of the surrounding area.

With him leading them, the two Hatchling Dragons would have a greater chance of surviving.

Following Garos would actually be a win-win arrangement for them.

Unfortunately, the two Hatchling Dragons did not see it that way.

"No!"

Red Dragon Sister snorted sparks from her nostrils and said disdainfully, "I am a Red Dragon destined to stand at the top of the world, the leader of the Chromatic Evil Dragons. I can become the ruler of the Wilderness on my own. I have no need to follow you."

Iron Dragon Brother shook his head as well.

"I'm going to the prosperous south. I heard that humans in the south have gemstones embedded in their teeth."

When he mentioned jeweled teeth, he made no effort to hide his greedy desire.

Hearing this, Garos said no more and merely shook his head.

Just as when the two little dragons had first broken from their shells, he had given them a choice once again, and they had given him their answers.

Fate and a dragon's life were made up of one different choice after another.

Garos did not insist that the two Hatchling Dragons follow him. If they were unwilling, forcing them to do so would only bring him trouble, given their personalities.

But he still gave the two Hatchling Dragons one more chance.

Looking at them, Garos said unhurriedly, "If you change your current foolish way of thinking and wish to seek my protection, go northwest to the hills about ninety kilometers from here."

"There is a dense Iron Fir Forest there. It will be easy to recognize."

"If I am still in those wooded hills, I may take you in. Of course, that is only if you are prepared to serve as my slaves and obey me unconditionally."

After saying that, Garos no longer lingered. He withdrew his gaze from Sinkhole Territory and flew toward the hills where he had once subdued the Earth Violent Bear.

"Damn it, Garos! You're too conceited. You don't respect us at all!"

"Just wait! Sooner or later, we'll make you look at us differently!"

"Even if we die and get eaten by savage beasts or monsters, we'll never beg you!"

Under the moonlight, the Dark Gold Tail Ring was plated with a layer of pale radiance. Shouts from his dragon brother and sister came from behind Garos, but the clamor was soon swallowed by the wind of the Wilderness.

Two weeks later, Iron Fir Hills.

The area was not large, and its resources were limited. It was not a good habitat, but Garos had nowhere better to go for now, so he settled there temporarily.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Earth Violent Bear's two palms were wrapped in thick, hard stone as they repeatedly struck the dragon before it.

Garos endured the Earth Violent Bear's heavy blows. His body trembled slightly, Buffer Scales flying everywhere until his black scales streaked with red were exposed, gradually cracking and denting.

But just as cracks began spreading across the black-red scales and they sank slightly inward,

the Earth Violent Bear stopped.

"Get up and continue."

Garos lifted his eyelids slightly and said with dissatisfaction.

The Earth Violent Bear had only just knocked off a layer of Buffer Scales. The real tempering of his body was supposed to begin next.

"Roar, Your scales are harder than steel. I really can't hit you anymore."

The Dire Bear roared, then plopped down on the ground, panting heavily.

Its thick bear arms could barely be lifted, and the stones attached to its paws had been shattered by the Buffer Scales' vibrations, exposing paws covered in cracks and constantly seeping blood.

Garos was still not satisfied.

Though both were fundamentally impacts, they differed from the intense training of ramming mountains and crashing into the ground. After experiencing it for some time, Garos felt that this method of enduring attacks was more meticulous, and its tempering effects were quite good.

Besides having the Earth Violent Bear strike him with its paws,

he also had it attack him with Spell-like Abilities to temper the corresponding resistances.

Naturally, the process was far from pleasant. Pain was unavoidable.

The Earth Violent Bear was a level-eight monster. Garos could not possibly endure its attacks without injury.

But perhaps because he had undergone too much similar training, Garos had developed an extremely high tolerance for pain. Not only that, as he felt pain and understood that it meant he was gradually undergoing Adaptive Evolution, he even felt somewhat excited.

"Hurry up and absorb Earth Power to rest. We'll continue in a while."

Garos allowed the Dire Bear to rest for a while.

The Earth Violent Bear wore a miserable expression.

When it had submitted to Garos, it had thought that perhaps Garos was temperamental and liked beating his followers to vent his frustrations. But its hide was thick and its flesh sturdy. As long as Garos did not beat it to death, it could slowly recover.

But what it had not expected was

that Garos was the complete opposite. He had a strange hobby and instead wanted it to beat him.

At first, the Earth Violent Bear had been quite enthusiastic.

But it quickly discovered that this was not a good job.

Every time it was exhausted to the point of near collapse, Garos had still not had enough. Fortunately, the Earth Violent Bear's recovery ability was strong enough for it to barely endure.

No, if this keeps up, I'll be so exhausted that even my Life Level will drop.

The Earth Violent Bear racked its brains as it rested.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through its mind, and it called out to Garos, who was using his dragon tail to rub against an Iron Fir nearby.

"Dragon Lord!"

Dragon Lord—this was one of the common honorifics followers used for dragons, similar to calling someone master.

With only a few rubs, the hard Iron Fir had been carved with countless deep marks by the sharp dragon scales on his tail, as though it had been cut by knives and axes.

Garos spared the pitiful Iron Fir and turned to look at the Earth Violent Bear.

The Earth Violent Bear scratched its head, and a hint of shrewdness appeared on its honest face.

"Hehe, You must want more Earth Violent Bears as followers."

Under Garos's gaze, it explained in detail.

It turned out that

the Earth Violent Bear Mobel had once come from a small Dire Bear pack.

Its father was also the pack leader. Apart from the Dire Bear Chief, there were several female bears and some bear cubs that had yet to mature.

In some respects, Earth Violent Bears had habits similar to lion prides.

Males were dominant and stronger than females. They also could not tolerate other adult males remaining in the same territory, driving away male offspring that were about to reach adulthood.

"You mean you want to take me to conquer your pack?"

Garos asked.

"That's right! As long as we kill my father, I guarantee that the other female Dire Bears and cubs will submit to You."

Mobel nodded heavily and pounded his chest in assurance.

What a filial son—his father gone, and he'd be laughing. Garos thought.