Chapter 54: with translation of chapter title

Over the next few days, Lai Ang and its companions ate and drank well inside the Grey Stone Dragon Fortress, occasionally showing their faces in the skies above the Dark Scale Tribe to make a presence.

The monster residents and warriors of the tribe saw their work attitudes rise considerably because of this.

Previously, the chieftain 'Diugus' merely boasted that a giant dragon prince stood behind him, but over the years he had never actually witnessed the giant dragon's appearance.

Regarding this, many of the monsters that followed him still felt considerable disappointment.

But now the disappointment has vanished, and their hearts are filled with fervor.

Most of these monsters are not seeking to sign a retainer contract with the giant dragon; they know their own worth.

Then why do they still so eagerly wish to follow the giant dragon? There are mainly two reasons.

One is safety.

This world is vast and not lacking places to live and farm, but there are too many unstable factors among monsters, beasts, and humans; to become a minion under a giant dragon is like living hand‑to‑mouth, always at risk of dying in the wilderness.

Another is that a sufficiently powerful giant dragon itself acts like a radiation source, capable of transforming the surrounding living environment and even the bloodlines of creatures.

Although Lai Ang and its companions have not yet reached that level of environmental alteration, with time they will eventually grow to that point.

In Emerald City, countless monsters yearn for the qualification to enter the Emerald Dream plane.

There reside many adult giant dragons, including the Emerald Dragon Queen.

Even if a pig‑like monster stays there for an extended period, it may very well transform into a draconic monster under the intense dragon‑life radiation.

By extension, one can imagine how excited the Dark Scale Tribe's monsters would be when Lai Ang and its eight giant dragons appear before them.

Damn, these are eight growing radiation sources! Ah, praise the Emerald Dragon Queen!!! (In the Mire Forest, the Emerald Dragon Queen is synonymous with power; a considerable portion of evil beings hold this great dragon, whose age is unknown, in utmost awe, and many monsters even worship it as a deity.) Grey Stone Dragon Fortress.

Within the spacious hall paved with rough stone slabs, eight stone thrones resembling those used by giants are arranged in a surrounding layout, giving the hall an especially solemn atmosphere.

The seven juvenile dragons, whose combined size is already not much smaller than an elephant, either lie prone, prop themselves up with their forepaws, or lounge lazily.

Their gazes are all fixed on the center, where the largest stone throne bears a jet‑black giant dragon.

That black dragon's body, forged like steel tempered a thousand times, fully displays the perfect union of strength and beauty.

Lai Ang looked around, feeling quite satisfied with the stone thrones polished by the ogre laborers under Diugus's orders.

Moreover, it especially highlighted its supreme status—the black dragon still finds such flattery quite pleasing.

"From now on, this will be the council hall." Lai Ang said.

"Then let us begin discussing the first matter."

Under this solemn atmosphere, the seven giant dragons' originally lazy attitudes became much more serious as they listened to Lai Ang's words.

Lai Ang looked at the white dragon Pana and the black dragon Eldo, then spoke slowly: "You two have already entered the juvenile dragon stage, so this time when we return to Emerald City you need not go back; just stay in the tribe and wait for our return."

"What about our retainers?" Eldo said somewhat hesitantly. It also wanted a few loyal retainers, which would make many things much easier.

Just like Diugus and Hog, they take the highest‑quality, most delicious monsters they hunt and give them to their master to eat, while the lesser‑grade ones are given to Eldo and them; Eldo also wishes to have one or two excellent retainers to hunt powerful monsters for it, to supply its growth needs.

Lai Ang also understood Eldo's thoughts; it had anticipated this, and calmly said, "I will bring back a batch of monster trainees for you." Upon hearing that Lai Ang did not intend to ignore its feelings, Eldo immediately relaxed, or rather became even happier.

Not only would it save a round‑trip, but compared to Eldo going out, Lai Ang's greater strength and talent would surely attract more outstanding monster trainees.

By then, wouldn't it also be able to reap some benefit and pick a fine retainer for itself?

"No problem." Eldo nodded satisfiedly.

The white dragon Pana remained silent, only vigorously nodding its head when Lai Ang turned to look at it, indicating it had no objections.

How dense, is its intelligence not fully developed yet? Lai Ang muttered to itself, then turned its gaze to the other juvenile dragons.

"Marl, Frank, Dagan, plus Ai Di and Sai Jia, this time when we return to Emerald City we will likely stay at the academy for over two years."

Upon hearing this, the seven juvenile dragons all froze.

"Over two years?" "Why?" Sai Jia asked, puzzled.

Since leaving the academy, Sai Jia has discovered a greater liking for the free air of the outside world.

It also greatly enjoys the thrill of personally hunting and slaying prey.

Making it return to that boring academy, where one is forced to study every half year, Sai Jia would certainly be unwilling.

Only the ranking matches hold any interest for Sai Jia, this battle‑mad individual.

But as Sai Jia's strength gradually increases, few dragons can satisfy this powerful black dragon juvenile whose bloodline has mutated.

Indeed, although Sai Jia appears relatively obedient under Lai Ang, in the eyes of all the juvenile dragons on the Dragon Fortress Plains it is nothing short of a black‑dragon tyrant.

Lai Ang is nourished by black water battle aura, is over eight dragon years old, and its body is now just over seven meters.

Sai Jia, meanwhile, also studies battle aura, but its battle aura rank is only Second Rank, so for its already strong physique the nourishing effect is quite weak.

Nevertheless, its size still approaches seven meters—it is estimated that not long from now its dragonkin rank will reach Fourth Rank.

Ordinary red dragon juveniles, at eight to nine dragon years old, are typically about six meters; only upon entering the juvenile dragon stage at ten or eleven years old can they possibly reach seven meters and attain Fourth Rank.

Only a giant dragon with extraordinary talent can break this norm—for example, the mixed‑blood juvenile dragon 'Kremor' that graduated years ago; at eight to nine years old its length already approached nine meters, and before graduation it exceeded ten meters, which is astonishing.

"Why?" Lai Ang glanced at Sai Jia, organized its thoughts, and then said pensively,

"The Dark Scale Tribe is still in its development phase; with the addition of the giant‑tooth fish‑people, the population has surged, making it difficult to supply us with enough high‑quality food."

"But the academy is different; we six have not yet reached graduation dragon age, so we can still enjoy free food and drink for over two years."

"With free provisions and even better ones, why not go back?"

Especially Lai Ang, as the foremost among the dragon fortress's dragons, receives rations of Third‑Rank monster flesh that are sufficient, and each month can also eat Fourth‑Rank monster flesh, which brings it considerable benefits.

Anyway, having observed the situation in the Dark Scale Tribe, we have a clear picture, and future developments have been arranged; in the short term, whether Lai Ang and its companions are present in the tribe or not makes no difference.

(End of chapter)