Undercurrents

The facts proved that without comparison, there was no harm.

When Caesar entered the arena, Luna looked up and, heedless of the flatbread crumbs filling her mouth, blurted out instinctively, "So huge."

It did not seem like much when they were used to staying together in the nest, but when Caesar truly stood before Gar, the nearly two-meter-tall great warrior, the stark contrast delivered a dizzying impact.

Only Caesar himself knew that, by any reckoning, he was only ten years old. Even among the short-lived humans, that age counted as adolescence. Yet this guy's body was already twelve meters long.

What did twelve meters mean? His mother—Nasatolia, a black dragon in her prime—had only been sixteen meters long.

Mm, calm down.

This guy was developing far too quickly. It was obvious that he had shot up again recently.

That stemmed from the fourth Bronze Trophy he had received. After Caesar began trading Summergrass with the humans and acquired his first fortune, a reward had appeared in his Black Dream—

Profit Seeker: Dragon Body Gene Enhancer, Type II.

This reward stimulated Caesar's body into another burst of rapid growth in a short period, causing the still-young Caesar to become almost as large as a young adult black dragon.

Yet he was utterly unlike an ordinary black dragon.

There had been no real change to Caesar's four horns; they remained hard and sharp. But his lower jaw had grown large like a blue dragon's, covered in a visible keratinous layer, while his fangs protruded beyond his mouth.

His body was no longer bony and gaunt like a typical black dragon's, like a skeleton clad in scales. Instead, it was covered in knotted muscles, built as powerfully as a red dragon's. No—this guy was surely even stronger than a young adult red dragon.

On Caesar's tail had grown a battering-ram-like keratinous ball like a green dragon's, its surface covered in dense, fine spikes. One blow from it would mean full-body paralysis at the very least.

Even more infuriatingly, this guy's claws were sharp and long like a white dragon's, solid and powerful like the beasts that crawled across the Great Glacier. Their lethality was not to be underestimated either.

Mm, aside from possessing a black dragon's amber eyes and dark scales, this guy was practically divorced from black dragons altogether.

With that appearance, if Tiamat, Queen of Five-Headed Dragons, discovered him, she would probably think Caesar was one of her direct descendants whom she had somehow left behind in Eladia, and would try every possible means to keep him by her side.

It was worth mentioning that after obtaining the Profit Seeker reward, Caesar had gradually developed a savage aura akin to dragon might. Unlike the innate pressure that dragons' elemental bloodlines exerted on other races, Caesar's aura came from the manifestation of his genetic upgrades. It was the biological suppression of an ordinary species by a higher-order lifeform.

As he grew, its effects would likely surpass dragon might itself.

Still, although Caesar already possessed the size of a young adult black dragon, if he truly faced a young adult dragon—excluding white dragons—he remained quite uneasy. To avoid becoming overconfident, Caesar had once cautiously analyzed and compared everything. His conclusion was that the odds were roughly even.

—After all, dragons at that age had truly matured into "dragons" and could use quite a few spell-like abilities. Their danger level was exceedingly high.

Enough daydreaming. Back to the scene.

Against orcs who did not use bloodline power, Caesar was still completely at ease. He casually flipped the imposing High Commander Gar over and gave him a thorough beating.

Crushed by Caesar's strength and provoked by his good-natured taunts, the other orcs were thoroughly "angered." They had no choice but to join the battle, grappling with the giant together against one. Even the young orcs were fearless, babbling as they ran up to hug the black dragon's tail, shouting until their faces turned red.

The so-called duel had completely devolved into a game. Mudala, too, came to an end amid laughter and cheers.

"The dry season is almost here."

In the noble district of Kaki Territory, Rhine Kingdom of the Northern Kingdoms, at Earl Brando's estate.

Roy watched the rising sun in the east and murmured to himself. Then he came back to his senses, entered the estate, and personally knocked on the redwood door to the study. "Father."

"Come in."

After entering, he stood silently to one side, for the study's master, Earl Brando, was listening attentively to the butler's report. "...Thus far, the iron mine business under Young Master Naina has brought in thirty-seven thousand gold. The liquor and fur businesses under Young Master Roy have brought in twenty thousand gold..."

Roy lowered his eyes, looking wholly unconcerned with what the butler was saying. He had lived with Earl Brando for more than twenty years and knew that his father hated being interrupted during a conversation.

Earl Brando blew on the steam rising from his black tea, took a sip, and set it down. As if speaking casually, he said, "Roy, I know you have mobilized quite a few family resources and expanded your business greatly of late. Even Duke Layne has heard your name. Yet your earnings seem somewhat low."

"In truth, Father, the liquor trade alone brought in as much as one hundred thousand gold through my hands last year."

The butler stepped back, and Roy stepped forward. Bowing slightly, he said in a low voice, "But as you know, I signed an agreement with the orcs of the Wilds. Sixty thousand gold belongs to them and was sent to the Stone Crow Clan. As for the remaining twenty thousand or so, you know, those under my command..."

Earl Brando gave an "Mm" in response. "I do not know exactly how great a force you have gathered outside, nor will I inquire too closely. But since you cannot find the raw ingredient for that fruit pulp, would it be difficult to deal with a group of orcs?"

"Actually, I have some reservations."

Roy shook his head and continued, "Anrien's death was very strange. Though there is no evidence that the Stone Crow Clan's orcs were responsible, I still feel they are far from simple. Everything that happened then was simply too much of a coincidence."

"What are you worried about?" The earl signaled that the butler could leave.

Roy pressed his lips together and voiced his suspicion. "I suspect someone is supporting the Stone Crow Clan from behind the scenes. An unseen hand arranged all of this and cleared away their obstacles."

"Thinking about it now, the Stone Crow Clan had been unable to hold on long ago, selling off furs at unimaginably low prices. If they had possessed this miraculous fruit pulp then, they would have approached me to discuss trade."

"Moreover, I suspect Anrien's departure from the group was arranged as well. If he had happened to be present when we encountered the Flame Demon Curse, we would never have needed the orcs' fruit wine—he was deliberately lured away."

"Later, we discovered a burnt-out forest several miles away. The traces indicated that a battle had taken place there. I have reason to suspect that Anrien was killed there, after which the evidence was destroyed."

Roy slowly straightened and looked into his father's eyes. "That is why I have never moved against the Stone Crow Clan."

"Besides their archmage leader, I suspect the Stone Crow Clan has another person or creature. Everything was arranged by that creature. It is cunning and cruel; Anrien merely blocked its path, so it had him killed outright."

While Roy spoke, Earl Brando listened in silence. Only after he stopped did the earl pack tobacco into his pipe and light it. "These conjectures come from your intuition. How certain are you?"

"Not at all."

Roy shook his head and spoke bluntly. "Thus far, there is no evidence that can directly prove the existence of that creature I have imagined."

Earl Brando smiled. "In that case, give up on taming these orcs. Go obtain the formula for that stuff, then consolidate the forces you have in the Wilds. It may come in handy in the days ahead."

"But..."

"No buts."

The old earl waved his hand, brushing away smoke that did not exist before him. "We have added a new trump card to our hand. This is a perfect chance to see just how powerful that card is."

"Yes."

Roy raised his brows, bowed, and withdrew. "I will send someone to contact Green City at once."

In just a few words, Earl Brando had decided the Stone Crow Clan's fate. When predators at the top of nature's hierarchy prepared to feed, they never held back. They would never leave their prey the slightest chance, whether they faced rabbits, foxes, or tigers.