Northern Lands

Jose was a man of action. After each returned to their lair and dug up their buried treasures, the two dragons flew into the clouds.

Concealed by the overcast sky, they flew from dawn until night. As the moon vanished and the stars dimmed, the two dragons finally reached their destination—the border region between the Karakoram Mountains, the Gloomy Forest, and the Northern Great Plains.

The border region was not simply where mountains met forest, but a vast stretch of transitional low hills. "Low" was only relative to the Karakoram Mountains; in truth, they were not especially short, ranging from four hundred to a thousand meters above sea level.

Since every peak was separated from the next by stretches of flat ground, from afar the mountains resembled a forest growing from the earth. Thus, this region was called the Moduo Peak Forest.

"Moduo Peak Forest. We're finally here."

Flying overhead, Jose surveyed the Moduo Peak Forest below, then raised his head to gaze into the distance. He saw a white ribbon stretched across the land. Even straining his eyes, he could not see where it ended. It was the lifeline of northern Tydanore Continent—the Volga River.

The Volga River originated from snowmelt in the Karakoram Mountains. Streams along its course gathered into a river that passed through the Gloomy Forest and rushed toward the sea. Countless tributaries also crossed most of the Northern Lands, nourishing every living thing there.

The Northern Lands was a broad geographical concept, roughly divided into four parts: the northern human kingdoms in the south, the Karakoram Mountains and Gloomy Forest side by side in the center, and finally, the vast Northern Great Plains.

The Northern Great Plains was a famously uncivilized region of the continent. Its area was larger than the Karakoram Mountains and Gloomy Forest combined, accounting for nearly half of the entire Northern Lands.

Matching its vast expanse was the sheer number of races living and fighting upon it: Barbarians, Orcs, Minotaurs, Boarmen, Centaurs, Gnolls, Goblins, and many more.

From ancient times to the present, the fires of war upon the plains had never ceased.

Now, human forces represented by merchant guilds had also stepped into the fray, making the situation on the Great Prairie increasingly murky.

The waters of the Northern Great Plains ran deep. For now, Jose neither wished nor had the ability to get involved.

To avoid stumbling into other extraordinary creatures, the two dragons found a towering peak in the Moduo Peak Forest and lay down back-to-back to rest.

The next day, Jose was awakened by noise.

He poked his head out from behind a boulder and looked toward the distant Great Prairie, where a chase was underway.

The pursuers were Centaurs, around a dozen of them. The one being chased was a lone Kobold.

As their name suggested, Centaurs had human upper bodies and horse lower bodies. They were a common native race of the Great Prairie, skilled at running and archery. Their powerful mobility and talent with the bow made them like mounted rangers, coming and going like the wind.

Using their racial advantages, Centaurs had taken up the cost-free trade of murder, arson, and plunder on the plains, becoming the nightmare of many races.

Jose was somewhat puzzled. Why were Centaurs hunting a Kobold?

Centaurs were swift-moving bandits, that was true, but Kobolds were underground creatures. Their racial specialty was mining, and their homes were twisting, narrow mine tunnels. Tall Centaurs could not squeeze into such cramped tunnels. By all rights, the two sides should have kept out of each other's way.

Though puzzled, the facts lay before him. He did not dwell on it and continued observing the battle.

The Centaurs pursued relentlessly as the Kobold ran with all his might toward the Moduo Peak Forest.

It was undoubtedly a smart choice. The forest had many obstacles, which would restrict the Centaurs' mobility.

Unfortunately, when it came to running speed, a two-legged Kobold could never outrun a four-legged Centaur. Before long, he would be caught by the numerous Centaurs, and the consequences needed no explanation.

Jose decided to save the Kobold.

Kobolds were underground creatures skilled at mining, and he most likely knew of mine tunnels. Mine tunnels were ideal dwellings for a Red Dragon. Moreover, Lower Dragonkin like Kobolds had reverence for true dragons engraved in their genes. They were weak and easy to control, making them perfect servants for an adolescent dragon.

Though he had decided to save him, Jose did not act immediately.

Offering help in a snowstorm was better than adding flowers to brocade, and pulling someone back from the brink of death was even better still.

Roar!

The Centaurs caught up with the Kobold and were about to close their encirclement when Jose rose from his hiding place and let out an impassioned dragon roar.

"Kashi! Let's go!" With that, he beat his wings and soared into the sky, gliding down from above toward the battlefield.

His wings sliced through the air, and the gale howled past his ears. He stared at the panicked Centaurs in the distance as Dragon Breath brewed in his throat.

"Dragons!"

The Centaurs screamed and scattered in flight, kicking up trails of dust across the plains.

Dragons existed widely in the legends of every intelligent race. Regardless of color, regardless of whether they were good or evil, they all shared one trait: strength. Strength beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Seeing two dragons flying toward them, the Centaurs' terror was easy to imagine. They only hated that their parents had not given them two more legs as they galloped away at full speed.

But if scattering could save them, evil dragons would not be called evil dragons.

In barely a dozen breaths, Jose crossed over a thousand meters and caught up with the fleeing Centaurs. Cone-shaped fiery Dragon Breath descended from the sky, effortlessly turning the bandits who once roamed the plains into burning corpses.

Like a naughty child using a magnifying glass to roast ants, the weak and exposed Centaurs fell one after another.

Under the slaughter of the two dragons, before long, only the last Centaur remained in sight.

Jose stopped breathing fire and flapped his wings as he pursued the fleeing Centaur.

The gale from his wings sent cold sweat streaming down the Centaur's back. The fierce plains bandit despaired beneath the dragon-shaped shadow, but in a final burst of ferocity, he turned, drew his bow, and fired.

But the Centaur's prized bow was a joke before a dragon. The arrow did not even leave a white mark on the hard dragon scales. Seeing the snapped arrow, the Centaur nearly lost the courage to keep running.

A dragon claw descending from the sky seized the ashen-faced Centaur and lifted him into the air. Jose turned back with his prey and dropped him from the height of a six-story building, throwing him before the stunned Kobold.

Bang!

The Centaur smashed into the grass. Blood flowed out as his body twitched faintly.

Ten meters above the ground, Jose folded his wings and let gravity claim him. With a thunderous bang, his nine-meter body struck the ground. Steel-like Dragon Claws pressed down on the twitching Centaur, completely ending his wicked life. Bright red blood flowed from beneath the claws, soaking into the soil and pooling in the low ground.

Of course, Jose was not some pervert who enjoyed torturing others. He had captured the Centaur and executed him in such a shocking manner to display his power, intimidate the Kobold, and make him submit.

However, the plan seemed to have encountered a small problem. This Kobold showed no reaction at all.

He didn't immediately bow and submit? Did I make my entrance wrong?

He looked down at the Kobold in annoyance, two streams of white smoke billowing from his nostrils and washing over the Kobold's head.

Stimulated by the outside world, the Kobold slowly raised his head like a machine. His gaze traveled from the dragon's belly covered in fine scales to his slender neck, finally settling on his majestic, domineering head. The crown-like dragon horns deeply shook his heart.

Seeing the Kobold's gaping mouth and shocked eyes, Jose realized that his entrance had not been wrong. The Kobold had simply been frightened senseless and had not yet recovered.

Thud!

The recovered Kobold's knees gave way, and he knelt on the ground.

Thanks to Dragon Slayer Swordsaint for 100 coins, waryer for 100 coins, Pinecone Oak Tower for 100 coins, and reader 20200421224238 for the 152-coin reward.