A Huge Thank You to My Realmkeepers!
I want to give a massive shoutout to Matthew Badtke, KnightZ, Airam Bachiller, James Fleming, LordKad, Dragonman97, Trevor Standifer, Cédric NGOUBY, Bluebane2 and Deadpool2695! for joining my Patreon at the Realmkeeper tier!
A Huge Thank You to VBDA for joining my Patreon at the Early Adventurer.
Much love and appreciation.
*****
"Who will you call, Master?" Winnie's voice was filled with excitement, her earlier concerns seemingly forgotten.
I considered the options, my mind racing through the creatures I could summon or command. This cave would be the perfect staging ground; with the right guardian, we could secure it as a base of operations.
"Don't worry, you'll see soon enough." I turned back to the melted tunnel, my heart still pounding with exhilaration. I had a new weapon today, one that would change the course of our battles to come.
And with this power, nothing would stand in my way.
---
An hour later, I returned to the cave, dragging a battered and bloated Earth Splitter Bear behind me. Its massive body scraped against the stone floor, leaving a trail of dirt and debris in its wake. Winnie, who had been anxiously waiting, stared in disbelief.
She recognized the creature immediately. It was the same Earth Splitter Bear that had once guided them through the treacherous paths of this land. But now, it looked like it had doubled in size and was covered in bruises and cuts, its formerly powerful form now limp and subdued.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
I unceremoniously flung the Earth Splitter to the ground. Its enormous body thudded against the cave floor, rolling several times before coming to a stop. The impact reverberated through the cavern, making Winnie wince at the sound.
"Pear, you'll be living here from now on. Understand?" I said, addressing the bear telepathically with an almost gentle tone. I had named it Earth Bear, but 'Pear' suited its current swollen state.
The Earth Splitter Bear let out a pitiful whine, its spirit clearly crushed. It glanced around the cave, then back at me with a look that was almost... questioning.
"Stay?" it rumbled softly, its voice hesitant and laden with confusion.
"Yes, Pear. Consider this your new territory," I said, patting the bear's head with a hint of satisfaction. "This place needs a guardian, and you'll do just fine."
The Earth Splitter Bear sniffed the air, its gaze sweeping over the cavern, then back to me. Its eyes, dimmed by defeat, flickered with reluctant understanding. It looked at its own battered body, then at me once more, seemingly accepting its fate.
"Clear," it mumbled, its voice barely audible, but the word was there—a reluctant agreement to its new role.
"See? Pear is smarter than he looks," I remarked with a wry smile. It was a far cry from the intelligent company of Shaldar and the frost trolls, but it would have to do.
Winnie's eyes widened in astonishment. "Master, how did you manage to tame it?" she asked, her voice filled with awe and curiosity. "Earth Splitters are known for their uncontrollable rage and stubbornness. Not even the young ones can be tamed, let alone an adult!"
I grinned at her, a mischievous glint in my eyes. "Oh, it just took a little... persuading." I leaned in closer, my voice dripping with mock innocence. "Would you like to try it out?"
Winnie shook her head frantically, her ears twitching nervously. "No need, my lord! I'm quite content observing from afar."
The memory of how I'd subdued Pear filled me with a sense of satisfaction. At first, the Earth Splitter Bear had fought with all the ferocity its kind was known for, preferring death over submission. It had bared its teeth, roared in defiance, and charged at me, despite the beatings I'd given it.
But I had a different method in mind. I grabbed it and took to the skies, flying higher and higher until we reached an altitude of five hundred meters. Then, without warning, I released it. The bear plummeted, flailing helplessly as it fell, the ground rushing up to meet it at terrifying speed.
Just as it was about to smash into the earth, I caught it, my claws wrapping around its massive form. I held it for a moment, letting it catch its breath, then rose higher, repeating the process. Five hundred meters, then a thousand, then fifteen hundred. Each time, I let it drop, catching it at the last possible moment, feeling its fear grow with each descent.
It wasn't until we reached four thousand meters that it finally broke. Its spirit shattered, the fire in its eyes extinguished. It let out a broken whimper, its once mighty roar reduced to a pitiful plea. It would do anything, anything at all, as long as I didn't drop it again.
"Just let me back on the ground..." it had whispered, trembling, utterly defeated.
I looked at the dark, gaping hole that led deeper into the earth. With Pear, the now docile gatekeeper, in place, I felt confident enough to proceed. "You'll guard this cave now, Pear. Don't let anything pass that doesn't belong."
The bear nodded slowly, still reeling from its ordeal but obedient now, its defiance replaced with a hollow compliance.
"Good." I turned to Winnie, who was still eyeing the bear warily. "Now that we have a guardian, it's time to find Shea."
Winnie's face lit up with hope. "Yes, Master! Let's go!"
"We'll head down, but carefully. If anything has happened to her..." My voice trailed off, the unspoken threat hanging in the air.
With that, I took a final glance at Pear, ensuring he was settled in his new role. Then, without another word, I led Winnie toward the entrance of the tunnel, ready to delve into the depths and retrieve what was mine.
---
"Master, are we going to break through this hole?" Winnie asked.
After all, it seemed that my huge size couldn't fit into the hole.
"Need not!"
I knew that the hole was a bit like a cone, with a small mouth and a big bottom.
I don't intend to destroy this natural protection; after all, who knows what's underneath?
"Transfiguration!"
A surge of dark energy enveloped me, and in an instant, my colossal dragon form condensed into that of a towering dragon-man, now standing at an impressive 2.7 meters. I scowled, feeling the strain of this transformation tugging at the seams of my being. As my true form grew, maintaining this guise had become increasingly challenging. It wouldn't be long before I'd tower over the Adeptus Custodes and even the stature of the Golden Emperor himself.
I recalled the last time I had used this spell. Back then, my transformed height was 2.6 meters—already a menacing figure. But now, I had surpassed even that, and my current form looked far more menacing. My scales were thicker and darker, and the sheer power radiating from my muscular frame felt almost too immense for this mortal guise.
Every aspect of my being had been amplified. My claws, sharp enough to rend through steel, glinted ominously under the dim light. My eyes, glowing with an untamed ferocity, surveyed my surroundings with a predatory gaze. Even my wings, though hidden, felt constricted against my back, eager to unfurl and unleash havoc.
This transformation, once seamless, now felt like a barely contained storm, struggling to compress my growing might. For now, I could hold it together, but it was clear—this form was reaching its limits. The relentless growth of my true self was pushing the boundaries of this spell, threatening to break free of this humanoid shell and unleash the full fury of the dragon within.
"Master Barbatos, you..."
Winnie opened her mouth wide and looked at me.
Although it had long been heard that real dragons could transform, when she actually saw it, she realized how incredible it all was. Such a huge body turned into such a small...
I scratched the dragon horn on my head uncomfortably. It stands to reason that, being a human in a previous life, I should be more adaptable to the human body, but I felt a little awkward.
I didn't speak anymore. I stepped forward to hug Winnie and put her in my arms amid Winnie's exclamation. Winnie is only 2 meters tall, and I hugged her like a real kitten. That kind of soft feeling made me very delighted, and I resisted the urge to execute her on the spot to calm myself down.
I felt that it was not safe to use both hands in case of danger, so I directly supported Winnie's body with one hand. Then I spread my wings and jumped out of the dark cave!
The further down we went, it felt like the place was really bottomless. After falling almost 1000 meters, I finally touched the ground. Winnie felt her heart beating a little faster. She carefully looked at me next to her.
I looked at the surrounding environment. There were a lot of blue glowing plants here. Although not as bright as on the ground, some places were still illuminated, bathing in their own unique light. However, this place is not very friendly to creatures with poor dark vision.
I suddenly found some petrified animal remains in place. When I was about to study it carefully, I suddenly stopped.
"Mmm?"
On one of the wrecks, I found a strand of black thread. I took it to my nose and smelled it; it was fragrant with Shea's scent.
At this moment, I felt that some kind of vibration source seemed to be approaching the two of us. Winnie, on the side, didn't notice anything, but her cat ears were still erect and listening carefully to the movement around her. I directly embraced Winnie's waist, and with a slight flap of my dragon wings, we flew up instantly.
A ferocious head emerged from the ground where we had been standing. It had a huge body like a giant elephant, blue-black skin, and blue eyes. Red spikes covered its back, and it had eight legs with powerful claws extending from them. Its mouth, full of sharp teeth, marked this creature as one not to be trifled with.
"Roar~"
"Petrified Lizard! Or Basilisk, as named by humans."
I recognized the monster in front of me with a glance. This guy was the famous petrified lizard. Basilisks were known for their ability to petrify their prey, causing a chemical change that turned victims into porous stone statues. Sages theorized that the creature's eyes emitted some kind of radiation that was absorbed by the eyes of their victim, but ultimately, the precise method of how their power worked was very poorly understood, just like the Medusa race.
And it is not only famous for its petrification ability but also for its value. Basilisks are one of the few beasts that can be tamed, but they must be domesticated from an early age. The tamed basilisk will know how to follow the master's instructions and make eye contact with specific creatures, thus petrifying the opponent. So this guy is a very famous beast guard.
"Basilisk eggs are worth a fortune in the human world. Their rarity and potency make them highly coveted, and their value is measured in mountains of gold. But that's precisely why dragons are so knowledgeable about them. For a dragon, value is a language in itself. If something holds immense worth—be it in gold, power, or rarity—you can be certain that every dragon, regardless of breed or alignment, knows of it.
This isn't just coincidence; it's part of our very essence. The inheritance memory we carry, a vast repository of knowledge passed down through countless generations, records everything of value. Whether it's the glittering gemstones hidden beneath the earth, the ancient tomes of forbidden magic, or even something as obscure as a basilisk egg, it's all cataloged within us.
The moment we hatch, this knowledge is imprinted on our minds, instinctual and undeniable. It's not just a lust for treasure that drives us, but an intrinsic understanding of worth. We know the value of things as naturally as we know how to breathe fire or take to the skies. And this knowledge transcends the boundaries of our kind.
A chromatic dragon's greed might drive it to amass a hoard of riches, while a metallic dragon might seek powerful artifacts to protect the realms. But both will have the same inherent understanding of what is valuable. Whether it's a ruby the size of a human skull or a single drop of phoenix blood, we know its worth it without needing to see it. And just glancing at something is enough for us to know its value.
This is the true legacy of the dragon. Our memories passed down through blood and magic, grant us this innate wisdom. It's why we are drawn to treasures like moths to a flame, why our eyes gleam with recognition when something rare and precious enters our sight. It's not just about possessing these things; it's about the power, the history, and the value they hold in the tapestry of the world. To us, value is more than just wealth—it's the essence of our existence.
Anyway, the petrification ability of basilisks has no effect on true dragons. After all, if looking at a dragon could turn him into stone, there wouldn't be many dragons left in the world.
"Winnie, don't look into its eyes!" I reminded Winnie next to me. Although the petrification of the petrified lizard was ineffective for me, it was different for Winnie. Winnie closed her eyes and turned her head obediently.
I attempted to communicate with the basilisk telepathically, but the creature's thoughts were always chaotic and disorderly, making communication impossible. The petrified lizard even took the opportunity to look at me, trying to petrify me.
"Forget it, let's go die!"
I shook my head. Did he think I was Medusa? Or Gorgon?
I didn't return to my dragon form after putting down Winnie. Instead, I rushed directly towards the petrified lizard in the shape of a dragon-man. I raised my fist and knocked the basilisk to the ground with one blow. Then, with a paw, I tore off a piece of meat from the creature, threw it into my mouth, and swallowed it.
The Basilisk stood up and angrily bit at me, intending to swallow me whole. But I grabbed the basilisk's upper and lower jaws directly. Then, with a strong pull, I tore the lower half of the petrified lizard's mouth open, and blood flowed profusely.
There was more blue light in the basilisk's eyes, but I looked into its eyes without fear.
"Let's end it!"
I instantly returned to my original dragon form. The petrified lizard's eyes were full of horror. I stretched out my dragon claws and crushed the basilisk's skull. The blue light in the basilisk's eyes dimmed, and the corpse stopped struggling.
"Comfortable at ease!" I let out a long breath. Then I remembered something.
'Damn, I seem to have forgotten to experiment with the paralyzing properties of Lightning Breath. Forget it, next time!'
The main purpose of mine this time was to test my own strength in the half-dragon state. Although I felt that I would never use this form to fight against an enemy, it was a nice addition just for play!
I licked my lips after eating half of the basilisk. This lizard's taste is still okay.
"Winnie, take out the mucus from the secondary stomach of this basilisk!" I said, looking at Winnie next to me.
Basilisks have two stomachs. Few creatures know that the mucus in a basilisk's secondary stomach can restore a petrified creature to its original form. And my Dragon Legacy just happened to have this information.
"Follow, Lord!" Winnie didn't care about the disgusting smell. Immediately, she began to clean up the stomach of the petrified lizard and took out the two eyeballs that emitted a faint light by the way. She loves this!
---
"What are you doing here? It's very dangerous not to stay outside the city!" The drow elf, Maya, looked helplessly at the rabbit girl next to her. After getting along these few days, her impression of the rabbit girl beside her was that she was stupid and stubborn.
*****
Thanks, you can read up to 20 chapters ahead on my Patreon.
patreon.com/GodofGreed