Consume Gold, Absorb Iron

Ferrum returned to his nest and set the ore on the ground.

Though he had given some to Moqi, plenty still remained. Large and small pieces were piled together, their surfaces split by dark red veins like a heap of quietly burning charcoal.

He had been looking forward to using his ability for days, yet he did not immediately stuff the ore into his mouth. Instead, he first used his claws to forcefully break every piece apart into small chunks that were easier to swallow.

Though dragons would not choke themselves to death like monitor lizards, it would still be terribly embarrassing if it came to that.

At a time like this, Ferrum did not want any complications.

Only after all the preparations were complete did the Chrome Dragon sit upright in his nest and swallow the crushed ore bit by bit.

Though Giant Dragons were said to be capable of devouring anything, actually making them eat stones would leave every one of them deeply uncomfortable.

The crushed ore was coarse and sharp. As it was forced through his throat, it scraped against the walls, leaving behind a burning pain.

Fortunately, Ferrum could activate his ability.

[Consume Gold, Absorb Iron]

His stomach first warmed, as though he had swallowed a mouthful of scalding hot soup. Then warmth spread through his entire chest.

Unlike the fullness brought by devouring flesh and blood, the ore entering his stomach felt like a person dying of thirst suddenly receiving long-awaited water, bringing immense relief in an instant.

The nutrients slowly seeped into his limbs, nourishing his muscles and bones, flowing to every nerve ending, making every cell cry out in exhilaration.

Ferrum drew a long breath, taking the crisp autumn air deep into his lungs before releasing it bit by bit.

Consume Gold, Absorb Iron was not an especially rare ability. Many Giant Dragons throughout history had possessed similar talents, such as Goldstar Forger Nuenlongdun, whose name remained in Ferrum's inherited memories—

A demigod Iron Dragon who had shone brilliantly during the Cataclysm War.

Legend said that Nuenlongdun had awakened his talent for absorbing metal at an early age. Later, he devoured an entire Vein Gold planet, forging a colossal dome-like body that even gods regarded with awe.

Yet he had ultimately died, slain by Zelania, daughter of the Three-Tailed Dragon Queen, unable to resist the might of the First-Generation Species' Blood Edict.

Compared to those famous and powerful beings, Ferrum's path of growth had only just begun.

Furthermore, [Consume Gold, Absorb Iron] did not refer only to gold and iron; it included other metals as well.

However, the amount of metal it could digest each time was limited. Based on the grade of metal consumed, it would slowly activate a dragon's potential and slightly enhance the user's physique. While the ability was in effect, it could not be used again.

Ferrum knew that what he had swallowed was only the lowest-grade iron ore, not even crude iron, with very little metal content.

But he was only a Dragon Hatchling, a youngling who had only recently emerged from his shell. He merely wanted to experience his ability as quickly and simply as possible. He was not aiming too high; getting even a bite like this already left him satisfied.

A wave of drowsiness rose within him, languid and gentle. It was unlike the fatigue before sleep; rather, it was his body reminding him that silent changes were taking place.

The little Chrome Dragon did not resist. He casually relaxed his limbs, curled up on the gravel, pressed his cheek into the straw, and soon drifted into sleep.

When he awoke, it was already the next day.

In the early morning, the sky over Ochre Valley had not yet fully brightened. A thin morning mist hung over the mountain hollow. The little Chrome Dragon stood, shook the grit from his scales, and slowly ground his teeth together.

The cracks and chips left by chewing ore over the past few days had vanished without a trace.

The cracks had healed and the chips had been filled. Ferrum raised a claw and tapped his fangs, hearing a crisp ring without feeling the slightest pain.

The Nurturer had indeed spoken the truth.

His ore-ground teeth had clearly been strengthened somewhat. They were thicker and sharper than before, lined menacingly within his jaws, gleaming beneath the morning light as though forged from steel.

Beyond that, Ferrum noticed another change.

He could not say exactly what was different. It was simply that, when he moved his limbs, it felt as though some burden had been lifted, leaving him with an exceptionally light and fluid sensation.

He moved his foreclaws for a while, then swayed his tail. The feeling was unmistakable. His strength had not increased, nor had he become faster, but overnight, his control over and perception of his own body had become extraordinarily refined.

The discovery thrilled Ferrum, and he wanted to find something to test it on. But a low rumble from his stomach immediately pulled him back to reality—to the most important matter at hand.

Because of his sudden sleep, he had missed last night's dinner.

Food, food. For dragons, food was heaven.

Ferrum set off toward the gathering grounds along the mountain hollow. A light rain had fallen the night before, leaving the ground beneath his feet slightly damp.

The little Chrome Dragon swept lightly across it, leaving behind a string of blurred clawprints.

The morning air was cool, but the scent of meat was especially strong, carried by the wind across the mountains and fields.

Quite a few Dragon Hatchlings had already arrived at the gathering grounds. They lay around in groups of two or three, quietly eating on their own. Even the few Nickel Dragons who usually loved causing trouble were unusually silent, heads lowered as they focused on filling their bellies.

Valyria casually coiled atop a high platform, her eyes closed as she dozed. Her enormous tail hung down and slowly swayed.

Ferrum lowered his head to the Young Dragon in respect before finding a spot and sitting down on his haunches.

Before long, two Kobolds ran over carrying a portion of bloody food and carefully placed it before him.

The Chrome Dragon said nothing and lowered his head to chew. Morning gatherings had always been quieter than at other times because the Nurturer had only just awakened and was prone to a foul temper. Even the slightest noise could provoke her anger.

Thus, the Dragon Hatchlings all acted cautiously. Once they had eaten their fill, they hurriedly left, intending to make noise and play somewhere farther away.

Ferrum ate while thinking slowly.

Because of his injured teeth, his daily training had been suspended for many days. Since he was in good condition today, he had to restrain dragons' lazy, playful nature and put training back on his schedule.

The potential boost brought by Consume Gold, Absorb Iron greatly strengthened his confidence. In order to make use of those advantages, Ferrum resolved to make a more detailed plan. He could not waste his time any longer.

Ferrum had arrived late, and he chewed slowly, taking an especially long time to eat. As time passed, nearly all the Dragon Hatchlings had left the gathering grounds, while the Kobolds had appeared at the edge of the area, eagerly waiting to clean up the leftovers.

After a while longer, he finally finished eating, licked his teeth clean, and got up to leave.

Only then did he notice that several Lesser Dragons had not left. They were all staring at him, and all of them were female.

"Are you challenging me?"

Ferrum felt their predatory gazes. He straightened his body and met their eyes.

When they realized he was looking over, a Feather Dragon with a deep crimson body hesitated for a moment before trotting lightly toward him.

She held a piece of iron ore in her mouth. Their eyes met for an instant before she set the ore down in front of the Chrome Dragon. Without saying anything, she ran off with the other Lesser Dragons.

"What is this..."

Ferrum was somewhat baffled. He looked at the iron ore, then at their retreating backs. "...What does this mean?"

Ferrum actually recognized that Feather Dragon. She was the only Dragon Hatchling in all of Ochre Valley who knew how to fly, having been born with the ability. Thus, she had always served as a referee during Racing Competitions.

Ferrum had often raced before and had seen her many times.

Feather Dragons were also known as Feather Dragons. Though they were considered dragons, their habits resembled those of certain enormous birds of prey. They possessed four claws and four wings, along with wing feathers, crest feathers, and tail feathers that ordinary dragons did not possess.

Though Feather Dragons had weak bodies and lacked strength, they were renowned for their field of vision, perception, agility, and precise killing strikes.

That last point made them somewhat similar to Chrome Dragons.

After hesitating for a moment, Ferrum still picked up the iron ore from the ground. Dragon Hatchlings in Ochre Valley treated ore as currency; a piece of ore was a piece of wealth. It would be a shame not to take it.

Perhaps word had spread about how he had stopped Leijieduolei a few days ago, and the Lesser Dragons had come to express their gratitude.

Thinking that, Ferrum did not dwell on it and headed for his training grounds.