After the ritual completion, Cassius leaped off the dark-shrouded cliff, hoping to harvest some spoils from the Bluefoot Dragon-snake.
But when he reached the bottom of the cliff, he surveyed his surroundings.
He suddenly realized that things were far from simple.
Because on the ground, there were not only the corpse of the Bluefoot Dragon-snake but also more massive, ancient bones scattered around.
These bones were each over ten meters long. From the ferocious snake-like skulls and long spines, it became clear—these bones all belonged to Bluefoot Dragon-snakes.
And there were hundreds of them!
The massive skeletons almost covered the entire floor of the cliff, forming a somewhat spectacular bone pathway. The corpse of the Bluefoot Dragon-snake among them was not at all conspicuous.
Hundreds of Bluefoot Dragon-snakes.
What kind of concept was that?
Just one Bluefoot Dragon-snake was already a tough battle for a Red Dragon, who had to use every trick to barely win.
With ten Bluefoot Dragon-snakes attacking together, their frenzied thunder could char the Red Dragon into cinders.
And hundreds of Bluefoot Dragon-snakes?
It was no exaggeration to say they could easily destroy a human kingdom.
"These bones, the oldest could be thousands of years old, almost turning into ash."
"What is this place?"
Cassius felt a chill run down his spine, involuntarily exhaling a breath of sulfur-laden hot air.
At this moment, he no longer cared about the dead Bluefoot Dragon-snake. He only wanted to explore the secrets of this terrifying path.
"Creak..."
His claws crunched on the ancient skeletons as he walked.
The Red Dragon treaded cautiously on the bony path, step by step towards the depths shrouded in darkness.
High cliffs towered on both sides of the road, almost vertical.
After walking for a long time.
The end of the path revealed a massive stone gate.
Thick stone pillars adorned both sides, engraved with texts.
The stone gate had no excessive decorations, only simple, archaic patterns. Though not finely carved, it exuded a sense of strength and primal wildness from a barbaric age. One could barely make out an eye within a storm in the designs.
"Storm Giants?"
Cassius couldn't help but mutter to himself.
The shadow of the Ancient Giant Empire once spanned far and wide, with the Storm Giants holding the highest middle-rank among giants.
Their numbers were few, living in remote corners of the world, reminiscing about past glories, known for being reclusive and wise prophets.
He carefully examined the texts on the stone pillars.
"Ancient Giant Language..."
The Red Dragon did not recognize these ancient texts. They might have long vanished with the fall of the Giant Empire.
Yet a translucent blue panel silently unfolded.
[The wisdom of the magician allows you to trace back to more ancient things.]
[The texts before you awaken memories deep within your bloodline.]
[Memories of the long, drawn-out war between dragonkin and giants, spanning generations, deeply etched into your bloodline, flowing within every vein.]
Cassius felt a wave of dizziness, falling into a haze.
He saw a terrifying army formed of giant dragons, their multitude of wings enough to block out the sky.
The giants stood ready, their massive forms dominating the horizon.
The two sides clashed, shaking heaven and earth.
Engaging in the most primal of battles.
Storm Giants hurled lightning of boundless power. Cloud Giants conjured rolling clouds, and Stone Giants lifted hill-like boulders...
[You have gained precious ancient knowledge.]
[Obtained proficient skills: "Ancient Draconic +4" and "Ancient Giant Language +2"]
When the Red Dragon awakened, his mind was brimming with newfound knowledge.
Cassius stared at the texts on the stone pillars, reading them aloud:
"I seek the great remains, recovering the heritage lost when the empire fell.
In the end, I found that the deities had abandoned us.
I witnessed the rise and fall of royalty, the victories and defeats of wars, and grew weary of the unending battles between good and evil.
So I descended from the sky, sinking into the depths of the abyss, with my former weapons guarding the gate for me.
Mortal beings from afar, please remain humble.
Do not disturb my rest.
Otherwise, the enraged Storm Giant will bring forth more thorough destruction.
This is my final prophecy as a prophet.
—Storm Giant Elder Randta, resting here."
After reading the text, or rather the epitaph.
Cassius's breathing grew slightly rapid. He exhaled deeply, puffing out another gust of sulfur-scented smoke.
"This is the tomb of a Storm Giant, and those Bluefoot Dragon-snakes were merely his guards."
"What an extravagance."
"This means that within this tomb, there might be incredibly precious treasures."
The greed from Tiamat deep within the Red Dragon's bloodline urged him repeatedly to open this stone gate.
"However, the epitaph warned that he would bring forth more thorough destruction."
"It's better to be cautious..."
Cassius was not a purebred Red Dragon with muscles for brains. His rational side prevailed.
But this did not mean he gave up exploring this tomb. Rather, he decided to 'bide' his time until he was fully recovered, and all preparations were complete, before considering further exploration.
Thus, the Red Dragon decided to temporarily settle here.
Yes, he settled down.
Cassius first returned to the spot where he had fought the Bluefoot Dragon-snake, preparing to devour its mutilated body.
The Bluefoot Dragon-snake's strength was immense, making its flesh particularly chewy, with a tinge of electric numbness, a result of the special energy it contained as a magical monster.
"Like the spicy hotpot I had in my previous life."
Cassius mumbled while gobbling it down.
This was the highest praise the Red Dragon had given any food in this world so far.
Dragons could easily digest meat equaling half their body weight daily, converting the food into elemental energy and storing it for future use.
The stored energy was often used for their breath weapon and during the rapid growth phases throughout their lives.
The Red Dragon spent his days eating Bluefoot Dragon-snake meat, studying the texts on the stone pillars, and napping atop the bone piles.
Several days passed.
...
The Cave Lurker curled up in a crevice at the top of the cave.
This monster, resembling a giant worm, had a blue-black body that blended with the background.
It waited quietly in the cave.
Whenever prey approached, the Cave Lurker would rise, spreading four hooked tendrils, revealing its hungry beak in the center.
But as it lay in wait, motionless like a dead thing, a giant maw suddenly appeared, snatching it from the cave.
Its soft, elastic body struggled briefly before being crammed into a powerful, sharp maw.
"Tastes like chicken, nice and crunchy."
Cassius chewed on the tough meat, commenting as he did.
This monster, which was akin to the Grim Reaper to most explorers, was merely a tasty snack for the Red Dragon.
Now the Red Dragon's scales shone brightly, his wounds had all healed, his vitality was restored, and all his spells were fully replenished.
"It's time to see what that 'destruction' is all about."
Cassius continued chewing on the Cave Lurker, thinking to himself.
In the memories of his past life, someone had once found legendary-level equipment from a cave in the North, and this might just be the rumored place.
After killing the Bluefoot Dragon-snake, Cassius felt as if a mechanism had been triggered, some force brewing, likely to destroy this place completely. When that happened, he would miss this precious opportunity.
For his still-growing self, surrounded by powerful enemies, such a significant boost was invaluable.
"Take a gamble, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle."
Feeling his body brimming with energy and magical power, Cassius clenched his teeth and thought.