Shattered Stone Grounds

Ochre Valley, Shattered Stone Grounds.

This was where the Nickel Dragons gathered, though it was far from a pleasant place.

Jagged rubble lay piled in chaotic heaps, carved by flash floods into holes of every size. All kinds of junk littered the ground, fermenting into a thick, sour stench.

The four Nickel Dragons bounded and leaped back into the Shattered Stone Grounds, bustling around one another in high spirits. From time to time, they let out excited shrieks, each savoring the day's "spoils."

"Did you see that Glow Dragon's expression?"

One Nickel Dragon grinned, flicking its forked tongue. "Taking two pieces of ore from it was like taking its life. Heh, the wronged look on its face when it let go!"

"And that Thorn Dragon too. It really deserved a beating. Like it hadn't eaten in centuries, biting down on that rotten Roe Deer and refusing to let go no matter what."

Another Nickel Dragon eagerly chimed in, "Was it called Jili? Was it called Jili? From now on, every time we see it, we'll beat it up. Ochre Valley is only so big—I'd like to see where it can hide!"

"The funniest one was that Tungsten Dragon."

The black patch on Bido's head twitched as he looked equally pleased with himself. "At first it thought it was something special, but after a few words, it went soft. Hahaha, who knows if it'll crawl back in the end."

"That Leijieduolei wants to draw a line between us? Fine by me. He was just trash relying on his surname and bloodline anyway. Xilong's name worked far better than his."

"I'd say even if we really ran into a Higher Species, we could pull that name out and scare it."

They talked over one another, turning over and over how they had robbed the Glow Dragon, beaten the Thorn Dragon, and frightened off the Tungsten Dragon. Each time they retold it, they burst into hearty laughter.

But as they laughed, Bido, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped.

The three Nickel Dragons behind him could not halt in time and crashed into one another in a chain. Just as they were about to curse angrily, they saw Bido's frozen expression.

Following his gaze, the Nickel Dragons were all startled.

To prevent retaliation from other Dragon Hatchlings, they had left one companion behind to guard the Shattered Stone Grounds. But at this moment, that companion was crouched outside the nest like a watchdog, baring its teeth and desperately signaling at them with its eyes.

At the center of the Shattered Stone Grounds lay a steel-gray Chrome Dragon, larger than any other Chrome Dragon. Its claws and horns were sharp, and the bone spikes on its body gleamed with honed brilliance beneath the sun.

Hearing the commotion, he slowly raised his head and calmly gazed at every returning Nickel Dragon with a pair of yellow-orange slit pupils.

Xiron Solax.

Bido's mind buzzed. His scales trembled faintly. Wasn't Xilong a loner, rarely interacting with other Dragon Hatchlings and never asking about matters in Ochre Valley?

What was this guy doing here?

Bido had Xilong's name on his lips every day, using it to frighten Lesser Dragons and swindle other Heavy-Metal Dragons. It had felt as smooth as a fish in water, and he had even begun to believe that Xilong truly was the Nickel Dragons' backer.

Yet only at this moment did Bido suddenly remember that he did not know Xilong at all, nor did he have the faintest idea how to approach him.

"Ah—woo."

After several seconds of silence, Bido tucked away all his shock and suspicion. A fawning smile bloomed across his face as he scrambled closer, lowering his posture to the extreme. "Boss Xilong!"

With a flick of his tail, the other Nickel Dragons hurried after him, all lowering their bodies and putting on obsequious expressions.

"Boss Xilong, why did you come here in person?"

"We were just talking about you, Boss. We heard you were injured while fighting Hidorivi, and we were all worried sick. We searched everywhere for your nest, hoping to bring you some wild food."

"We Nickel Dragons are born close to Chrome Dragons. Look, Boss—even the color of our scales is nearly identical."

Xilong did not move. He merely watched them quietly. After a long while, he finally asked, "Are all the Nickel Dragons in the Shattered Stone Grounds here? I have waited a long time. I do not wish to wait any longer."

"Not just the Shattered Stone Grounds—all the Nickel Dragons in Ochre Valley are here."

Bido hurriedly replied, "Including me, there are five Nickel Dragons in total. Though we are the least numerous in Ochre Valley, every one of us is capable. Whatever Boss Xilong tells us to do, we'll do it."

Xilong narrowed his eyes, his gaze moving unhurriedly across their faces one by one, as if he intended to remember every one of them.

"Good."

After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Since you wish to follow me, then offer tribute."

Bido froze for a moment, then understood. Delight sprang onto his face.

Sure enough, the dragon inheritance had not lied. Chrome Dragons were the most evil Heavy-Metal Dragons, born as the leaders of evil dragons. They could lead the Nickel Dragons and charge at the front for them.

"What are you all standing around for?!"

He immediately turned back and barked at the other Nickel Dragons, "Bring out all our treasures for Boss Xilong to choose from! Hurry!"

The other four Nickel Dragons immediately moved, scrambling into their own burrow-nests in a fluster and beginning to rummage around.

Very soon, as though presenting treasures, they piled their collections one piece at a time before Xilong.

Several polished fish bones, ore with a metallic sheen, a stiffened animal hide, scales shed by some unknown Dragon Hatchling...

Xilong glanced at them a few times, then casually swept them aside. "Anything else?"

The Nickel Dragons watched his expression. After hesitating for a while, they each gritted their teeth and offered up another round of treasures.

A chipped bronze wine goblet, a rust-covered iron dagger, a copper plaque of unknown use—things that looked as if they had been stolen from the shantytown at some risk.

The Nickel Dragons were extremely reluctant. Filled with hesitation and reluctance, they unwillingly offered those items up.

Xilong stared at the things for a while before letting out a quiet sigh. "What a pack of rats."

His voice was extremely low and soft, even drowned out by the Nickel Dragons' noisy hissing. Only Bido saw Xilong's lips move, as though he had said something.

"Boss..."

He hurriedly crawled forward a little, looking somewhat embarrassed. "There isn't much good stuff in the valley. Once we enter the hatchling stage and can leave this damned place..."

Before he could finish, Xilong interrupted him. "Are you the leader among the Nickel Dragons?"

"Yes, yes."

Bido quickly answered.

"What is your name?"

"Bido Xinoz, Boss. There's even the same sound in our names."

"What is on your head?"

The string of questions came crashing down. Bido instinctively touched his head, then met the Chrome Dragon's gaze and finally understood.

"This black patch? Boss, it's one of my little distinguishing features."

He smiled ingratiatingly. "All us Nickel Dragons look about the same. If you find us hard to tell apart, just look for this black patch. You'll know which one is me at a glance."

"It is ugly. I do not like it."

Xilong said, "Rub it off."

Bido was completely stunned. He could only reluctantly raise a claw and rub hard at it twice.

"Boss, this..."

He still forced out a smile. "This is my marking. I was born with it—it has been there since I hatched, grown from my bones. There's no way to rub it off. If Boss thinks it's ugly, I'll find something to cover it."

"You are lying to me?"

Xilong tilted his head, looking at Bido. "If you tear off the scales and skin, won't it come off?"

The noisy commotion in the Shattered Stone Grounds was forcibly strangled off in an instant.

The Nickel Dragons who had just crawled out of their burrow-nests, still holding broken ore in their claws, all froze. The mountain wind stirred the Shattered Stone Grounds' distinctive sour stench, whimpering through the silence.

Bido's claw hung in midair, and the expression on his face froze with it. He arched his back and stepped backward, one step at a time.

"So that's how it is."

All the fawning flattery vanished from Bido's voice, and his face became calm.

His small eyes fixed on the Chrome Dragon, leaving only the Nickel Dragon's distinctive viciousness. In a low voice, he said, "It seems Boss Xilong does not truly want us to follow you."

"I do need some companions."

Xilong said calmly, "It is only that you are not qualified."

"If we are not qualified, why did you make us offer tribute? Could it be that noble Chrome Dragons enjoy bullying weak Nickel Dragons like us?"

"I am not bullying you. I am humiliating you."

With a light flick of his tail, Xilong sent all those treasures flying, scattering them across the ground with a clatter. "Like this."

All pretense and posturing had reached their end. As the Chrome Dragon pressed forward step by step, the Nickel Dragons finally stopped showing weakness and stopped fawning.

Their expressions changed in unison. Beneath their dull gray-white scales, vicious spines tightened and rose. They all lowered their bodies, growling from their throats and baring sharp fangs.

The Chrome Dragon who had dared to walk alone into the Shattered Stone Grounds was surrounded on all sides, trapped at the very center of the dragon pack.

"I hate it most when other dragons talk about my black patch."

Bido enunciated each word, squeezing his voice through clenched teeth. "Let me see whether so-called Higher Species truly do not bleed."

"Five Nickel Dragons."

Xilong rose to his feet, looked around once, and flexed his claws. "Come at me together."