Chapter 396 Dragon Wing Evolution, The True Crimson Ferocious Wings
Deep underground, all was silent.
The thick rock layers and permafrost isolate the outside world from noise and disturbance, and time seems to lose its meaning here, as if it has been frozen.
Its massive body, covered in deep black scales, lay dormant in the darkness and silence.
His breathing was long and weak, and his heartbeat was so slow that it was almost imperceptible. He was like a huge, lifeless rock, blending into his surroundings and becoming one with them.
However, the growing sense of danger that intensifies over time silently speaks of his uniqueness.
It was Garros Ignas.
Nearly thirty years is perhaps half a lifetime for a short-lived species.
But for a dragon approaching adulthood, this period of silence was more like a period of deep tempering and refinement for Garus.
At the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year 318, at a certain moment.
Buzz—!
It wasn't a tangible sound, but rather an invisible vibration that emanated from the sleeping dragon's body, penetrating the thick layers of rock and frozen soil, spreading outwards like ripples in water.
On the ground, the fine ice and snow began to tremble slightly, then moved automatically without any wind.
It was as if something was awakening deep underground, disturbing the peace of this land.
Inside the underground cave.
The thick layer of dust and small pieces of gravel that had covered the dragon's body for nearly thirty years turned into the finest dust and fell silently away at this moment.
Those dragon eyes, which had been tightly closed for so long, suddenly opened.
He woke up.
With a slow, deliberate motion, the red iron dragon slowly raised its heavy head, the bones of its neck and spine emitting a series of sounds like rocks rubbing against each other.
He did not immediately make any large movements, but quietly felt the immense power surging within his body.
It was a leap in both quality and quantity, as if every inch of muscle, every scale, and every drop of blood contained explosive energy.
at the same time.
The situation at the border, the scent of wind and snow, the traces of his kin, and even some vague fluctuations in more distant areas, all unfolded slowly in his powerful perception like a scroll.
"Hmm..."
A deep dragon roar escaped from the depths of his throat, echoing in the enclosed underground space and causing stone dust to fall from the dome.
"I don't know exactly how many years have passed, but this period of slumber will definitely not be short."
As his consciousness gradually cleared, Galos made his judgment.
The darkness could not obscure his keen senses.
He clearly felt his own growth and changes.
The red iron dragon has reached an astonishing length of 28 meters.
This is the size and length that only a normal, strong red dragon can possess, and it is in no way inferior to his red dragon father, Gorsas. Moreover, with his strength honed through countless trials, every muscle bulging with power, his visual impact is even stronger, completely surpassing red dragons of the same size.
His scales became thicker, each one seemingly having been re-tempered, its edges gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen.
The keel structure supporting this colossal creature has also undergone subtle adjustments and reinforcements, becoming more rational and resilient, sufficient to support its body.
The dragon aura that naturally emanated from him was no longer as sharp and flamboyant as it had been in his youth.
His dragon might became like an abyss, unfathomable, profound and heavy, while containing a sense of oppression far greater than before.
"My life level... As expected, this final level is not so easy to break through."
"If level 21 is not directly equivalent to legendary, but just a scale of power level, then I should be able to reach level 21. Unfortunately, that's not the case. I'm still a little short."
Galos carefully examined his own life level.
— Level 20.
More accurately, it is the pinnacle of level 20, the theoretical limit that mortals can reach.
If there were a visible experience bar, his current state would not be merely stepping into the threshold of level 20, but rather the bar would be completely filled, with no gaps left. Taking even the smallest step forward would be the legendary realm that countless heroes dream of but can never reach in their lifetime!
This seemingly small step has become an insurmountable barrier that has separated countless lives.
Even for dragons with long lifespans and powerful talents, breaking through from level 20 to Legendary is no easy feat.
Alternatively, one may encounter a momentous opportunity that could fundamentally alter the nature of their life.
Alternatively, they may rely on painstaking effort, accumulating knowledge over a long period, and then take advantage of a period of slumber to break through the barriers in one fell swoop.
From level 20 to level 21.
For a normal dragon, this would often take hundreds of years, or even longer, to accumulate and wait.
"Back when I was level 17, I could break through the broken legendary domain; at level 18, I was already capable of killing the level 20 blue dragon leader Perest. Now, I have reached the level 20 limit... Can I truly stand on equal footing with those who have just entered the legendary realm?"
The question involuntarily surfaced in Galos's mind.
Between the mundane and the legendary, there exists a vast gap known as the insurmountable chasm, but this gap is not absolutely insurmountable.
The Dragon Legacy contains scattered records of legendary feats of level 20 dragons defying the odds.
Although rare, they truly exist.
Garros is not a normal dragon.
With his base stats, his talent, and his strength far surpassing that of other dragons of the same level, these advantages will inevitably allow him to gradually close the gap with legendary dragons.
But how much closer can it be? Can it truly bridge that gap? Galos himself couldn't be sure.
He would naturally not provoke legendary-level enemies unless absolutely necessary.
Essentially, he prefers to deal with opponents who can be easily crushed by sheer force, but unfortunately, such opponents often don't bring much of a valuable harvest.
"It's a pity that Charles is dead, otherwise I would have a suitable reference point."
Galos shook his massive head slightly, the image of the Flower Knight flashing through his mind.
Although he bears the title of knight, Ciel's fighting style is essentially more like that of a mysterious assassin.
He is relatively physically weak, relying on a calm mind and rational judgment, and using his incredibly flexible spatial skills to fight against his enemies.
Therefore, when one is affected by the madness and loses their reason, they become insane.
He was caught off guard and was struck head-on by the red dragon Gorsath, who had activated his Berserk form, and died on the spot.
The rage brought by the Mad Fire is a natural counter to his fighting style, which requires composure.
If Charles hadn't died, with his exceptional talent, he would surely have already successfully entered the realm of legends.
“Charles’s soul is stored in the Life Box, but his consciousness is chaotic and he has difficulty communicating effectively.”
Galos's thoughts raced: "However, after all these years of nurturing, perhaps the situation has improved."
He decided to wait until Charles's soul regained consciousness before carefully examining his condition.
The death of the body is not the true end. This human companion with extraordinary potential, even if only his soul remains, still possesses considerable value.
Galos slowly exhaled a hot breath.
He brought his slightly scattered thoughts back together and focused on his current state.
Besides reaching the limit of mortal life level, he clearly felt that his blood had undergone significant changes.
He could feel the flow of blood in his body with unprecedented clarity.
Intense, vigorous.
It felt like lava churning in my veins.
This was a feeling he only experienced when he activated the Crimson Lotus form, but now he could feel it even in his normal state, without causing any damage to his body, and it wasn't as violent and ferocious as the Crimson Lotus form.
Just as he had anticipated and expected before he fell into slumber, his blood did indeed undergo a certain adaptive evolution.
Moreover, it's not just the blood that changes.
Galos keenly sensed that his scales and wings were emanating a completely different feeling from before he fell asleep.
"This is not the place to examine yourself; it's time to get out."
In the darkness, the red iron dragon slowly raised its limbs, its huge claws easily sinking into the hard ground. With its movement, the entire underground cave began to shake violently, and more cracks appeared on the rock walls.
It's time.
Return to his kingdom, examine the changes that occurred during his slumber, and then unleash his newfound power to a wider world.
He raised his head and looked up at the heavy rock ceiling that had isolated him from the outside world for so long.
The next moment, the Red Iron Dragon's powerful hind limbs suddenly exerted force, and its wings spread out with a roar. Although they were not fully extended, they were already full of powerful energy.
Boom!
It was accompanied by a deafening roar.
In an area not far from Dragon Valley, the ground suddenly exploded.
Permafrost, rocks, and snow were lifted up by an irresistible force.
A massive, black and red figure, like a meteorite crashing against the sky, shattered the earth and soared into the heavens with unparalleled dragon might, before descending once more beneath the skies of the border region.
The King of Iron has returned.
Meanwhile, inside Dragon Valley.
All the dragons, whether resting in their lairs or honing their skills in the training grounds, felt the earth beneath their feet tremble violently at the same moment, and the intense dragon might that followed spread and surged like a tsunami.
They are very familiar with this.
Without any command, the dragons roared excitedly, flapped their wings, and rose into the air.
All eyes turned to the majestic dragon shadow dancing wildly in the sky.
These dragons, apart from the mature white dragon Therese, the crimson-silver dragon Deborah, and the fairy dragon Vera.
Those fledglings and young dragons from back then have now reached adolescence.
They were all enormous, with bulging muscles and gleaming scales, clearly much larger and stronger than ordinary dragons of the same age.
"He's awake! He's awake! The great, invincible Iron King has awakened!"
The fairy dragon Vera used her illusionary sound magic to announce this news to the entire Dragon Valley.
"Deborah, let's get closer and take a look! Garos has been asleep for so long, there must be some incredible changes!" Vera flapped her wings, flying around the Crimson Silver Dragon, her tone full of curiosity and excitement: "Hehe, I need to hurry up and update my 'Iron King Simulation Technique'! The stronger Garos becomes, the stronger I become!"
Compared to the impatient Fairy Dragon, the Crimson Silver Dragon is much calmer.
She looked up at the familiar, imposing figure high in the sky and gently shook her head.
"According to Galos's habit, the first thing he does after waking up is usually to familiarize himself with and master the changes in himself."
She said, "Let's just wait here."
"By the way, have the family prepare the highest quality food immediately. Once he has adapted and comes down to eat, we will naturally be able to see how much he has grown."
Upon hearing this, the fairy dragon tilted its head, thought for a moment, and then nodded.
"That makes sense. Deborah, you're so thoughtful."
Suddenly, she chuckled mischievously, "You two are both adults now, are you going to do something important?" She paused, then the fairy dragon crept closer and whispered, "For the sake of our friendship, I have to warn you in advance, Garo has specially trained in a certain area, and the scene is terrifying."
What nonsense are they spouting?!
The red-silver dragon, its mind in turmoil, glared at the fairy dragon.
The fairy dragon immediately and wisely covered its mouth with its wings, saying no more.
The dragons circled and soared in the air, emitting roars filled with awe and excitement as they celebrated their leader's return. However, they all tacitly refrained from approaching the figure standing on the horizon.
Meanwhile, high in the sky.
Galos flapped its wings wildly.
With bursts of black and red flames violently surging and erupting, he performed a variety of dazzling and incredible high-difficulty aerial maneuvers in the air.
The sudden hovering after a rapid ascent, the sharp turns at near right angles, the ghostly sideways shifts, and the unconventional inverted leaps... all the movements were as smooth as flowing water, without the slightest sluggishness or discomfort.
It was as if this body was born for such extreme maneuverability.
What is most striking, and perhaps even shocking, is the shape of its wings, which has become extremely unique and completely different from any known dragon.
After a period of exhilarating, high-speed running that tested his physical limits, Galos slowly came to a stop.
He stood in the sky, breathing steadily, and began to spread his enormous dragon wings.
call--!
With a slight thought, the vast dragon energy within him surged forth like a burst dam, pouring into his wings.
The next moment, the already enormous wings of the Red Iron Dragon began to expand against the wind as if there were no limits! The wingspan extended wildly, eventually reaching a level that left the dragon speechless.
The length of just one fully extended dragon wing far exceeds his total body length of 28 meters!
Their generosity is also beyond comprehension.
Beneath the wings, a deep roar, like an engine overload, and the sound of energy burning could be heard incessantly.
He tilted his majestic head slightly and looked at his dragon wings.
What first catches the eye is a flowing, solidified crimson glow.
His original fleshy wing membrane disappeared.
Instead, there was an energy wing membrane made entirely of highly compressed, solidified crimson dragon energy!
This dragon aura membrane is not illusory, but rather has a semi-transparent texture, like molten glass, with densely packed, sharp-edged dark red rhomboid scales evenly embedded and covered on it.
When he stretches his dragon wings to their limit, tiny gaps will naturally appear between these fine scales.
At the outermost edge of the dragon's wings extend a series of hardened wing bones that can unfold freely.
The edges of these wing bones remained as sharp as knives, while the tips were as pointed as siege spears. Furthermore, as his dragon energy continued to flow and vibrate, the edges of these wing bones trembled rapidly, emitting a rapid buzzing sound, forming a blurry afterimage.
They are now not only sharp, but also tearing caused by high-frequency vibrations.
"My wing membrane is essentially a half-dragon vaporized?"
Even Galus himself was somewhat surprised by this unexpected evolutionary outcome.
As his thoughts shifted, the enormous dragon wings that blotted out the sky began to rapidly retract and close.
The extended wing bones precisely joined and interlocked, and the dragon scales covering them also tightly bound together, eventually restoring to the seemingly normal dragon wing shape that clung to both sides of the body. However, between the tiny gaps where the scales and bones connected, faint crimson energy patterns flickered like breathing.
It's like receiving a brand new toy.
Galos couldn't help but begin various attempts and explorations.
Then, to his surprise, he discovered that the new, evolved dragon wings were far more agile and controllable than he had expected.
In addition to its ability to extend to over 100 meters, forming a terrifying wingspan that almost blots out the sky.
More importantly, due to the semi-aerialization of the wing membrane and the special attached scaly structures, the dragon wings can be curled and folded in all sorts of unbelievable ways, and can launch swift and tricky attacks from any unexpected and illogical angle.
This brought his Dragon Wing's agility and melee threat to an unprecedented peak.
Of course, it is not without its flaws.
During the ongoing testing, Galos gradually became aware of the weaknesses of these two malevolent wings.
Whether using the wing edge flames for instantaneous propulsion and acceleration, performing large-scale extensions and folds, or even just maintaining a normal hovering posture, it will continuously consume the dragon energy within his body.
Before evolution, the dragon energy was only consumed significantly when using flames for explosive acceleration.
"However, for me, this might not be considered a real drawback."
Galos seemed to be deep in thought.
His dragon energy reserves were already substantial, and after this period of slumber, they have undergone a qualitative leap, enabling him to sustain the continuous consumption of these ferocious wings under various conditions.
Or rather...
It was precisely because he possessed such a profound foundation of dragon energy that his body had the opportunity to complete this evolution.
Moreover, thanks to his adaptive talent, his total dragon energy and recovery speed may actually be further stimulated and increased by this continuous consumption and training!
If it were any other dragon, even if it were lucky enough to obtain similar wings, the problem of dragon energy sustainability would likely make it more of a disadvantage than an advantage. It would be exhausted in less than three minutes of combat, becoming a huge burden and unable to be used for normal combat. It would require constant attention to its energy expenditure.
However, there is no best, only the most suitable.
These powerful but imperfect dragon wings are a perfect match for Garoth.
(End of this chapter)
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