Paying a visit

The thought made even him smile uncontrollably, leaving him a little lightheaded.

He shook his head hard, driving away those unrealistic fantasies, and put away his shield and longsword.

Now was no time for daydreaming. The system's quest required him to become a "king," and that was no joke.

And to become a king, strength was absolutely the most fundamental cornerstone. Without sufficient strength, everything was empty talk.

Redd took another deep breath, his gaze growing firm.

He reassessed this seemingly ordinary body of his, with its limitless potential, feeling the surging strength within. Adapt, master, strengthen!

He had to improve his strength as quickly as possible and familiarize himself with this power boost as much as he could.

Then he would leave this place and begin his path of conquest. He could not afford to slack off in the slightest anymore.

The morning sunlight had just pierced the clouds, coating the earth in a soft golden glow.

Redd woke early, briefly put his gear in order, then eagerly climbed onto the black dragon Ehm's broad back.

After yesterday's treatment, Ehm was clearly doing much better. Although still somewhat weak, he was full of spirit, his enormous body looking especially imposing in the morning light.

"Let's go, Ehm!" Redd patted his neck and gave the command.

Ehm let out a low roar and beat his wings hard. His enormous body shot into the sky, carrying Redd toward the steep volcanic peak within the valley.

Wind howled past his ears, while the distant mountains and rivers unfolded like a painting, a magnificent sight.

Along the way, Redd keenly detected a hint of danger. Following the scent, he discovered a Sandworm lying dormant in a desolate stretch of sand shrouded in black mist.

The creature had tough hide and thick flesh, and its attacks were not weak either, but to them now, it was a piece of cake.

With an angry roar, Ehm spat out a precise blast of Dragonfire, and the Sandworm turned to charcoal in the flames.

Redd jumped off the dragon's back and used the sharp blade he carried to cut off the choicest parts of the Sandworm. After wrapping them up simply, he stored them in the system space as provisions.

"Hey, old buddy," he said, patting Ehm's head. "This is a greeting gift for that elder. Hopefully, it won't turn its nose up at it."

Imagining how he would have three dragons if he successfully won over the old dragon this time, Redd could not contain his excitement.

Three dragons! That was practically the stuff of legends. Just thinking about it made his blood race.

Of course, that depended on the old dragon accepting his help and being willing to submit. There were plenty of unknowns and variables involved.

Soon, the familiar outline of the volcanic peak came into view.

As the temperature dropped, the smell of sulfur in the air grew stronger and stronger.

When Ehm landed steadily at the edge of the valley where the old dragon lived, Redd's heart rose into his throat, and he felt a little nervous.

He took a deep breath and was just about to call out, but Ehm beneath him beat him to it, seemingly somewhat displeased, or perhaps merely making a habitual show of his might.

Ehm suddenly opened his huge jaws, and a jet of pitch-black Dragonfire, so dense it seemed almost solid, shot out like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, straight toward the enormous entrance to the dragon's lair halfway up the mountain.

The previously silent lair, disturbed by this sudden attack, abruptly spewed out a blast of crimson flame. Its blazing light instantly illuminated the entrance as it collided violently with the pitch-black Dragonfire in midair.

Boom! A muffled explosion rang out. The intertwined black and red flames churned wildly through the air like frenzied spirits. The surrounding temperature soared, and even the air seemed to warp.

Redd clung tightly to Ehm's scales, feeling the heat wave wash over his face, and could not help exclaiming:

"My god, the way dragons say hello and wake each other up really is... direct!"

King Ghidorah, lying atop his head, was also stirred by this tremendous spectacle.

His little round body poked out of Redd's hair, all three tiny heads rising together as he stared wide-eyed at the Dragonfire colliding in the air.

The next second, all three little heads opened their mouths at once, spitting out several thin streams of electricity flickering with golden arcs,

Though weak, they carried the fearless air of a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, as though he too wanted to join this "flame party."

However, this standoff lasted only a few seconds.

Perhaps he thought the other's firepower was too fierce, or perhaps he found it boring. The black dragon Ehm snorted loudly, and the black Dragonfire abruptly stopped.

The crimson flames pouring out of the lair dissipated at the same time, and everything fell quiet again, leaving only the scorched smell and intense heat lingering in the air.

Redd knew it was time for him to step forward.

He deftly brought up the system interface and tapped a few times in midair.

With a ripple through space, the enormous Sandworm corpse appeared out of thin air at the entrance to the dragon's lair.

Its massive body almost blocked half the entrance, giving off a strong, rank stench.

"Phew, having system space really is convenient." Looking at the sight before him, Redd felt secretly grateful.

The last time Ehm had flown here carrying a Sandworm in his jaws, he had been as slow as a snail, panting with exhaustion the whole way and expending a tremendous amount of stamina.

Now? Easy and pleasant.

Heavy footsteps came from inside the lair, and the old red dragon finally emerged.

Its appearance was still a pitiful sight. Large patches of the scales covering its body had fallen off, exposing the dark red, wrinkled skin beneath,

In some places, ruptured growths were even visible. A large growth over its left eye blocked its vision. It looked utterly wretched, yet exuded an indescribable air of desolation and majesty.

The old dragon seemed to ignore Redd's presence entirely, its gaze immediately drawn to the enormous Sandworm corpse at the entrance.

Without the slightest ceremony, it thrust its massive head forward, its huge jaws clamping precisely onto the Sandworm's plumpest belly,

With a powerful tug, it tore away a large chunk of flesh with entrails still attached, producing a sharp crack.

Ehm was not about to miss out on such a treat. He immediately moved over and began tearing at the Sandworm corpse with his comparatively smaller head, which was still enormous by human standards.

King Ghidorah atop Redd's head could no longer hold back either. He swooped down from Redd's head with a whoosh, his three little heads swiveling excitedly like a little radar, searching for the best position to "attack."

Seeing King Ghidorah suddenly rush down, Redd's heart jolted, and a little cold sweat seeped into his palms.

He watched the old dragon nervously, afraid it might become hostile toward this unique little fellow.

Unexpectedly, however, the old dragon merely raised its eyes slowly and gave King Ghidorah a curious glance. There was no ferocity in that gaze, only more of an indifference born of long experience and... well, it really was quite curious.

But soon, it withdrew its gaze and lowered its head to continue enjoying its feast.

Seeing that the old dragon paid King Ghidorah no mind at all, Redd finally felt his heart settle and let out a long sigh of relief.