"Time's mighty power is truly mysterious and unfathomable. I wonder when I will fully comprehend time and truly have it under my control," Garon mused, shaking his head.
As the saying goes, there is nothing difficult in the world, only things you are willing to give up.
Since he couldn't make sense of it now, Garon decided to put this matter aside and wait until he had a deeper understanding of the River of Time to ponder the reasons again.
Next, he left the imitation dragon's nest and went to check on the two northern ice bear cubs in the Ogre Basin.
In just a few days, thanks to Garon's specific instructions, the ogres here had taken great care of the two cubs. They had built small nests for them in a cabin, using warm animal skins, with a bonfire burning nearby and a female ogre specifically assigned to care for them.
When Garon saw the cubs again, he was surprised to find that in just two or three days, they had turned into chubby, somewhat plump creatures.
"Magical creatures really do have their extraordinary aspects," Garon noted. "They adapt quickly and can thrive well even without the care of their kin."
Observing the chubby little bears, Garon couldn't help but think of the delicious taste of adult northern ice bears and subconsciously swallowed his saliva.
He hadn't had his fill yet.
Unaware of Garon's malintent, perhaps because the blizzard had sheltered them, the cubs remembered Garon's scent. When he appeared, they excitedly scurried over on all fours, rolling and crawling to Garon's front and nuzzling his dragon claws.
Garon paused for a moment, then extended his sharp claws and gently stroked the spines of the little ice bears.
Unlike the needle-like hard hair of adult northern ice bears, the newly born cubs' fur was long, soft, smooth, and very pleasing to touch, making Garon quite fond of the sensation.
However, because his claws were too sharp, he could accidentally kill the little bears if he wasn't careful. After teasing them for a minute or two, Garon withdrew his claws.
"By the time they are adults, I probably won't need followers of the northern ice bear's caliber."
"They will most likely just be pets," Garon acknowledged his situation clearly.
His growth rate was extremely fast.
He had read about northern ice bears in a monster compendium, which stated that they reached adulthood at thirty and began to gradually master spell-like abilities in their twenties.
Thirty years later, Garon felt that if he wasn't dead by then, their use to him would be limited to being pets, aside from that.
However, in the desolate Northern Ice Plains, where there were no recreational activities, his life revolved around eating, sleeping, and studying magic, so having a pet to occasionally play with could be considered a form of entertainment.
After handing the little ice bears back to the female ogre in charge, Garon instructed Ugga Bonebreaker to change his main diet to magical creatures, ordering the ogres to hunt for his sustenance.
With Ugga Bonebreaker's solemn promise, Garon flapped his wings, his body rose into the air, and he vanished into the blizzard.
The howling wind and feather-like snow accompanied a broad smile on his face as he flew determinedly towards the far north.
White Dragon Mother, I'm coming!
His heart roared internally, unable to suppress some excitement, and his flying speed increased significantly.
From north to south, the places that left a deep impression on him included the Ice Cliff Dragon's Nest, the Ice River Territory, and the Ogre Basin.
Passing his Ice River Territory on the way from the Ogre Basin to the Ice Cliff Dragon's Nest, he noted that only about a quarter of the northern ice spirits remained, with the rest forming hunting parties for Garon.
Having these followers meant Garon wouldn't always have to busy himself with hunting, allowing him more time for other activities.
This was the primary reason he had initially taken in followers.
"White Dragon Mother is probably in the Ice Cliff Dragon's Nest now."
Based on what Garon knew about the White Dragon Mother, she loved to sleep in her nest during blizzard weather and even occasionally forgot her weekly task of bringing food to the dragon chicks, more accurately, out of laziness.
If nothing unusual happened, the White Dragon Mother was likely deep in sleep, completely unaware that her formidable son was about to appear.
Meanwhile, Garon thought of the treasure hoard accumulated by the White Dragon Mother, looking like a small hill, and his eyes emitted a faint green glow, his flight speed increased even more, his heart ablaze with excitement.
"White Dragon Mother has hoarded those magic gems, reluctant to consume them."
"So many magic gems, my treasury will finally be filled."
Garon's fondness for magic gems was second
to none among greedy true dragons, even being among the top.
Because magic gems were formed through miraculous evolution over long periods, imbued with the ancient attributes of the ages and their ability to gather elemental energy, it was hard for Garon not to love them.
To lie on a bed of colorful magic gems would indeed be a delightful luxury.
However, thinking of the wealth accumulated by the White Dragon Mother, Garon's face showed a hint of puzzlement.
"How did the White Dragon Mother acquire so many treasures with her strength?"
In his weaker times, Garon hadn't noticed, but now, reflecting carefully, he found the size of her treasure hoard somewhat abnormal. If she was adept at plundering, frequently robbing other species, that would make sense.
But the White Dragon Mother was a lazy dragon, often sleeping soundly in her nest.
Compared to humans, she was like a sixteen-year-old girl who stayed home all day, looking after a few little children.
So, where did all her treasure come from?
Garon's expression turned odd as he speculated.
"Could it have been gifts from a White Dragon suitor during courtship?"
"Impossible. It's plausible to give rare prey, but giving treasures is like letting go of one's own lifeblood for an evil dragon."
Garon shook his head, dismissing further thought.
Soon, braving the snowy skies, he saw the familiar territory of the White Dragon Mother.
Due to the blizzard, the landscape had changed drastically and become unrecognizable, but having lived in this territory for a year and a half, Garon was very familiar with its range.
Moreover, there was the faint dragon's might belonging to the White Dragon Mother.
This dragon's might was not an actively emitted supernatural aura of fierce momentum but rather naturally formed from the long-term residence of a true dragon in the vicinity.
Feeling the familiar aura of the White Dragon Mother, Garon's claws clicked against each other, producing a crisp sound like metal striking metal.
He was itching for action.
Ignoring the subtle warning carried in the dragon's might, Garon strode boldly into the territory of the White Dragon Mother.
The howling wind and raging snow swirled around Garon, as he made his imposing way step by step towards the Ice Cliff Dragon's Nest.