Move yourself.
With that, August grabbed the rat on the ground with one claw, lifted his wings and took to the air.
He took to the sky, flying with all his might, burying his head and keeping his eyes on the ground.
This time, finding creatures was secondary, finding water was primary, and in a harsh place like the desert, water is the source of life.
Water sources attract a wide variety of life forms.
It was safe to say that as long as they could find a water source, they wouldn't have to worry about food for themselves and Karel and Angelafledgling Dragon Period.
Provided, of course, that this water source was stable enough not to dry up.
Flying while keeping an eye on the ground for ten minutes.
Slopes, gravel, dead grass and a dry rift valley floor - four views that have remained the same for years.
As he flew, a wave of anger rose in August's mind.
Damn crystal dragons, why couldn't they choose a forest terrain?
What a desert to choose.
In his mind, he cursed the crystal dragon that would remain nameless.
Hmm?
Suddenly, August noticed what seemed to be a change in the humidity of the air.
The two large nostrils on the dragon's head twitched.
Sniff, sniff, sniff.
Surprise erupted from the vertical pupils.
The air in this neighbourhood has become more humid and less dry!
This .... There's definitely water here!
At the realisation of this possibility, August's mood became involuntarily hyperactive.
This is a big find.
He looked ahead to the Great Rift.
The dragon's wings stirred and August accelerated his flight.
It wasn't long before a sunken area came into view.
"Murmur~"
A series of voices came.
The sound - it's the river!
The dragon's wings quickened their pace.
Soon, August landed at the dip in the terrain.
A colour of excitement appeared in the fiery red vertical pupils.
It's a big slope, and underneath it there's actually a raging river.
The dragon's head lowered to look at the river below.
It's amazing that a place like the desert could have an underground river.
With a mental sigh, August began to survey the river.
The river was short, only about a hundred metres before it entered the ground again, with slopes to the left and right.
This is also the end of this rift valley, and beyond the opposite slope is an endless dune landscape.
Look at the deep water marks on the rocks at the edge of the river.
This river... It must have been there for a long time.
It looks like there's no need to worry about exhaustion being a problem.
"Wow~"
On the opposite bank, some fine gravel slides down the slope.
A creature that looked like an alpaca, with blue fur on its back, white fur under its belly, and a pair of long, orange-tipped horns on its head, stood at the mouth of the slope across the river.
Information about the creature automatically surfaced in his mind.
Blue-backed sheep, a low-level magical beast, a type of magical beast that lived in groups in the desert.
The ram horns on its head can collect thunderballs to launch attacks.
"Swarming magical beasts?"
August's eyes lit up.
Living in groups = big rations.
It's just that if it's a low-ranked magical beast, you, the young dragon, can still handle it, and the young dragon that just broke its shell is a low-ranked magical beast.
It's not low, on Fallon Continent many beasts spend their whole lives trying to reach that rank.
And the gargoyles are just breaking out of their shells to have a bit of rank.
The dragon's head lifted, holding the movement of looking around the room.
Sure enough, within seconds, one blue-backed sheep after another appeared on the opposite slope.
These bluebacks showed their heads and headed down the slope.
Obviously they're here to drink.
Looking at these blue-backed sheep, August didn't do anything rash.
One by one the blue-backed sheep went down the slope, and in my mind's eye I counted about fifty of them.
That's a lot.
As they approached the water, these blue-backs did not go to the shore to drink first.
One blue-backed sheep, which looked to be more than a size bigger than a normal blue-backed sheep, hissed at a group of blue-backs.
"Baa~Baa~!"
After the blue-backed sheep hissed, nine adult blue-backed sheep came out and stood in a single line in front of the river bank.
The ram horns on their heads began to flicker with arcs of electricity, and a purple thunderbolt coalesced in the centre of the horns, growing from small to large.
The ball of thunder continued to coalesce until it was the size of a tennis ball.
Nine thunderballs, flashing with electric arcs, were launched into the water at the same time.
The thunderballs exploded over a metre high when they hit the water.
The river rippled a few times before calming down as if nothing had happened.
At this point the bluebacks on the opposite bank came up to drink.
August narrowed his eyes as he watched the whole operation.
This river below...
There was definitely something, albeit fast, but there was indeed something that had just tumbled under the river for a few moments before diving back up again.
This group of blue-backed sheep seemed to know that something had been under the river for a long time, leading to this wave of attacks.
To make that group of blue-backed sheep so contemptuous, the thing lurking under this river must also be a magical beast.
Underwater Wraiths.
Well, it seems that if you want to take over this river, you have to take care of the guy underneath it first.
Looking down at the river and lying motionless on the hillside, August continued to meditate.
The guy under the water was definitely a magical beast, but its rank shouldn't be higher.
Otherwise, a wave of attacks from this group of low-ranked blue-backed sheep wouldn't have frightened them into giving up the hunt.
But higher order? ....
The open condition should take care of itself.
I'll have to find a way to lure this guy out of the water, though.
There was no need for Karel to flash through my mind.
The dragon's kiss unconsciously cracked open and the full, sharp dragon's teeth inside glowed in the sunlight.
Hasn't the bait and all been there for a long time?
Back from his thoughts, the blue-backed sheep on the opposite bank were already retreating.
They must have had enough water.
Staring across the river at the departing blue-backed sheep.
Not yet. They'll come back later. There's no hurry.
Suppressing the urge to hunt in his mind, he braces himself from the ground.
The wide, thick dragon wings unfolded and with a flourish August flew into the sky.
On the slope where the mouse family had perished.
Karel and Angela arrived early.
Half an hour had passed since the appointed time.
"Ah~ What the hell did that August guy do?" came an impatient murmur from Karel, who was lying on the ground.
The dragon's head turned to the right to look at Angela who was tinkering with the greenery to her left.
"Angela, why don't we go back to the dragon's lair and wait for him?"
Hearing Karel's suggestion, Angela's paw, which was cutting off some of the cactus spines with its claw, paused for a moment.
Unlike Karel, who returned empty-handed, Angela found a cactus forest that showed signs of biological activity, and many of the cacti bore signs of gnawing.
Angela replied as she continued to weed out the stings.
"Be patient, maybe August was delayed because he found something."
After waiting a while and hearing no reply, Angela felt that Karel should have been convinced by himself.
Idiots are so persuasive~.