Chapter 415 Breakthrough in the Face of Battle? Four Claws Shatter a Legendary Dream!
The mountain wind howled through the steep, rugged cliffs, emitting mournful cries.
The once silent Giant Rock Mountain Range is now frozen in a somber atmosphere; although sunlight shines down from the sky, it seems to have lost all its warmth.
Led by the mighty Mountain King, the entire giant army was ready for battle.
They stood silently on the ground, appearing from afar like powerful hills.
Among them, the largest, with muscles as bulging as rocks, stood firmly at the forefront.
Their skin, rough as rocks weathered over millennia, blended almost perfectly into their surroundings. They gripped massive wooden clubs, as thick as roof beams, or gleaming giant axes, forged through countless hammer blows, casting shadows that carried a suffocating sense of oppression.
Slightly further back stood a relatively small number of other giants.
The fire giant with dark red skin and a constantly scorching, twisted aura emanating from its body, and the stone giant with a sturdy and heavy build, as if carved from a single block of granite.
Without exception, they all exuded powerful and awe-inspiring energy fluctuations.
Clearly, they were all elite soldiers who had reached adulthood.
At this moment, all the giants had solemn and grave expressions, raising their heads and focusing their gazes on the sky.
The dragon's shadow obscured the sky, and the heavens grew dark.
The leader, the Iron King, possessed an unparalleled, robust physique. He exuded a ferocious aura that had been tempered by countless bloody battles. His thick, black and red scales were covered with deep and grotesque battle marks. Even surrounded by numerous dragons, he remained the most dazzling star in the night sky, the undisputed focus of attention.
Beside him stood several dragons of different shapes and equally powerful.
Samantha, the red dragon, flapped her wings covered in alchemical armor plates, her scorching dragon breath emanating from her nostrils, distorting the surrounding air. Her dragon eyes, burning with fierce battle intently, stared down. The iron dragon Sorog, on the other hand, was as steady as a mountain, his black iron scales reflecting the sunlight. He wore a specially constructed helmet that barely revealed his eyes.
The dragon might of Nasha the Golden Dragon and Zoraya the Blue Dragon is even stronger.
The three lords—the Amethyst Dragon Lion, the Holy Spirit Deer, and the Phoenix—each occupied a territory, their powerful auras second only to the Iron King. Further back, other young and adult dragons formed a terrifying aerial array.
The two sides remained locked in a stalemate, neither willing to launch a preemptive attack.
They were all observing each other very carefully.
During their standoff, the air seemed to freeze, and even the mountain breeze seemed to stop.
Finally, under the watchful eyes of the Red Iron Dragon, Mountain King Groom was the first to break the balance.
He took a heavy step forward, and his enormous body, which was over forty meters tall at the shoulders, caused the solid ground to tremble and the gravel to jump as soon as his foot touched the ground.
Among the major races of giants, the hill giants have always been known for their enormous size.
The Mountain King gripped a battle axe—the Earth Ripper—that possessed an ancient style yet exuded terrifying power.
He simply and seemingly casually placed it lightly on the ground, and with another clear tremor, a bottomless, enormous rift instantly spread into the distance from the point where the axe blade landed, demonstrating unparalleled power.
Red Iron Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly, his sharp gaze instantly locking onto the weapon in the Mountain King's hand.
He could clearly sense a dangerous aura emanating from that battle axe, somewhat similar to the feeling he had when facing that legendary swordsman, only not as intense.
"There are obvious gaps on the axe blade, and the thick axe surface is also full of cracks. This is most likely a legendary-level piece of equipment that has been damaged."
Galos calmly and quickly assessed the situation in his mind.
The fact that the Mountain King possessed a legendary piece of equipment was something he had never anticipated.
However, he did not feel nervous at all because of this; he just felt a little more cautious.
He knew that no matter how good the equipment was, it all depended on who used it.
Even a complete and flawless legendary piece of equipment would be difficult for the Mountain King to fully utilize, let alone the one in front of him, which was in a damaged state.
In the opposing giant camp.
Unlike the initial resentment and determination that surged within him upon hearing of the dragons' attack, Mountain King Groom had now regained his mountain-like composure, his mind racing as he considered other possible solutions to the crisis.
After a brief silence of a few seconds.
The Mountain King spoke, his voice like rolling stones, echoing through the empty valley.
"The mighty King of Molten Iron, your illustrious name has spread far and wide, reaching my ears. Your feat of successfully slaying a legend fills me with awe."
The Mountain King's gaze was as firm as a rock, fixed on the Red Iron Dragon's imposing body, his tone humble.
"Although we giants and you noble dragons have a deep-seated hatred from ancient times, we are not natural enemies at our core."
“I led my people here in exile, simply to find a place where our race could continue.”
"In the decades we have lived here, we have never trespassed on any territory of the Ironforge tribe."
“I, Groom, am willing to continue peaceful coexistence with the Ironforge.”
Under the deep gaze of the Red Iron Dragon, Mountain King Groom continued, "We can become your, the Ironforge's most steadfast ally, no, even a vassal! I am willing to regularly offer the resources we have gathered to the powerful Ironforge, only praying that you will allow us to retain this last home, so that my people can thrive and continue their bloodline."
While showcasing his formidable strength and legendary equipment, he also adopted a humble attitude and spoke with great sincerity.
It even carried a sense of supplication.
This makes him seem less like a threatening enemy.
However, this is not genuine surrender.
The true purpose of the mountain king was to buy time and gain a respite.
As long as he can overcome the current crisis, and after some time, successfully break through to the legendary realm using the earth's vein energy, then no matter what price he pays now, he can recoup his investment with interest in the future.
All the humiliation we have endured today will be repaid a hundredfold!
According to the Dragon Legacy, the Hill Giants are among the slowest-witted of the giants. Their character is as steady as a mountain, and they are also known for being very stubborn, outspoken, and not good at scheming.
If it were any other dragon that deeply believes in its lineage, it might believe the Mountain King's words because of this preconceived notion.
However, he was facing Garus at this moment.
The golden dragon, obsessed with conquest or the thrill of battle; the silver dragon, seemingly cold but actually cunning and treacherous; the white dragon, capable of understanding niche theory. Garros has seen far too many dragons that defy common sense.
He was well aware that the collective impressions recorded in traditions could only be used as a reference and not taken as absolute truth.
However, he is also calmly weighing the options.
If the Mountain King truly chooses to become a vassal, the long-term benefits to the tribe would indeed be greater than directly waging war and destroying him.
Red Iron Dragon's gaze was sharp yet calm as he looked down at Mountain King Grum on the ground.
"I can tell that you made this compromise mainly so that your people can survive."
His deep, authoritative voice rang out as he stated his conditions: "You want peace? Fine."
"Then, hand over your weapons as a sign of your sincerity."
The Mountain King hesitated, a troubled expression on his face, and explained, "Respected Iron King, this 'Earth Ripper' is the last thing my father left behind. It carries the heritage and honor of the tribe, and only warriors with pure Mountain Giant blood can activate its inner power."
Galos's expression remained unchanged as he calmly changed his request.
"It seems this request is indeed a bit too much to ask. In that case, I'll choose a simpler one."
He said in a calm tone, "Then you will cut off one of your arms and follow me back to the Ironforge alone. There, we can sit down and discuss the specific details of the vassalage terms."
On the surface, Mountain King Groom fell into a deeper silence, his heart churning with turmoil.
Whether it's surrendering one's legendary equipment or venturing alone into the heart of the Iron King's territory, both involve immense and unbearable risks.
Once the other party turns against him, he will surely die without any chance of resistance, having lost the advantage of terrain and the support of his clan.
He could not stake his life, and the future of his entire tribe, on the illusory mercy of a dragon.
Seeing that Shan Wang did not respond for a long time, Hong Tielong's gaze gradually turned cold.
“I see no sincerity in you what you claim to have. It seems that your so-called submission is just a pretense of compromise to buy time.”
How sharp and agile was Galus's mind?
He guessed that Mountain King Groom might be hiding some kind of trump card or advantage, but it would take time to develop or activate it.
That is probably why he has stayed in this place for decades and has never expanded on a large scale.
The next moment, the dragon's wings, which blotted out the sky, suddenly spread out, and a fiery red light began to flow and bloom on the wing membrane, like a flag fluttering in the air.
“Crush them.”
The Iron King calmly issued the final order to attack.
"Arrogant dragon! I will personally cut off your head and use it as the finest decoration for my throne!"
Seeing that negotiations were impossible, Mountain King Grum simply tore off all pretense and unleashed a furious roar powerful enough to shatter the surrounding rocks, its sound waves rolling like thunder.
"Warriors! For the glory of the giants! Follow me and kill—!"
As the Mountain King's battle cry resounded across the battlefield, all the giant warriors who were on high alert seemed to be struck by the same string, and at the same time let out a unified roar that shook the heavens and soared into the sky, their fighting spirit instantly boiling!
In an instant, the dragon's roar and the giant's rough howl intertwined, setting the stage for the war.
At the same time, with Garus's command, the massive dragon horde that had been gathering power in the sky, like layers of dark clouds pressing down, launched a fierce attack with unparalleled might.
From the very beginning of the battle, the dragon horde seized the absolute initiative thanks to their natural aerial advantage.
Instead of rushing down to the ground to engage the giants who were skilled in ground combat, they used their power to rule the sky to launch wave after wave of fierce attacks on the giants with an overwhelming advantage from the air.
The blue dragon Zolaya circled gracefully yet deadly high in the sky.
With each flap of her enormous wings, countless emerald green lightning bolts rained down upon the ground.
These lightning arrows, which contained both potent poison and powerful paralysis, not only easily pierced the fire shield that the fire giants were trying to form, but also made the mountain giants, who prided themselves on their thick skin, stiffen and slow down, and large areas of their bodies began to fester.
Around her.
Hordes of blue dragons summoned raging hurricanes and thunderbolts, sweeping across the land where the giants stood.
Samantha, the red dragon, also did not rush to dive down and engage in the hand-to-hand combat she loved.
Taking advantage of her altitude, as she opened and closed her dragon mouth, dazzling and complex alchemical runes lit up deep within her throat.
One after another, explosive fireballs enhanced with special runes rained down like meteors, crashing into the densest area of the giant formation.
The fireball exploded, turning into thick, scorching flames that burned the giants, causing them to roar in pain and rage.
Iron Dragon Sorog also maintained a safe distance at all times.
He used his superb mind magic skills to constantly interfere with the giants below with invisible psychic energy ripples, especially the minds of those giant sorcerers who were trying to cast spells, repeatedly interrupting their spellcasting process and causing them to backfire on themselves.
Jinlong Nasha, on the other hand, displayed a different fighting style.
She transformed into a streak of light and charged headlong into the giants' ground formation.
Sometimes she scorched with blazing flames, sometimes slowed down with frost, sometimes attacked with lightning, and sometimes protected with rock armor. She skillfully and efficiently used the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, and adopted completely different attack methods for different types of giants. Wherever her dragon body passed, the giants fell down one after another.
The Amethyst Dragon Lion, the Phoenix, the Holy Spirit Deer... these lords have an average level of over 18, and are equally unstoppable.
The other young and adult dragons formed formations, using their breath and claws to swoop down on the giants or launch ranged attacks.
Despite their immense physical strength and defense, the giants were rendered passive and helpless when faced with the agile and varied attacks from the heavens.
The giant stones hurled with all their might by the hill giant and the stone giant.
The dragon moved nimbly and easily dodged with a flap of its wings.
The long-range fire attacks spewed by the fire giants were also difficult to hit dragons that were moving at high speeds in the air.
After a brief but intense exchange, a mountain giant, second only to the Mountain King in size, let out a deafening roar.
"Raise your arms! Let these arrogant flying lizards feel the heavy pull of the earth!"
At his command, all the hill giants simultaneously ceased their pointless ranged attacks.
The giants roared to the sky in unison, raising their thick, pillar-like arms sharply upwards, palms facing the raging dragons in the sky. At the same time, thick, heavy earth energy surged from their massive bodies, resonating strongly with the earth beneath their feet.
Buzz—!
A deep and powerful hum resounded across the battlefield.
In an instant, a massive gravitational field covering the entire battlefield was suddenly generated, as if an invisible giant hand was pressing down on this space.
The dust in the air seemed to instantly become several times heavier, falling rapidly downwards.
The dragons that were attacking wildly in the sky suddenly felt their bodies sink, as if countless tough chains had appeared out of thin air and wrapped around their wings and bodies. Their originally light flight immediately became difficult, maintaining altitude became strenuous, and they involuntarily began to slowly descend.
This is precisely the anti-flying ability possessed by the Hill Giants, the nemesis of dragons.
By collectively guiding the earth's energy, a powerful regional supergravity field is formed, specifically designed to deal with enemies in the sky.
"Can't fly anymore, you damned reptiles! Now, get down here!"
A mountain giant smiled as he watched the dragons slow down. He raised his massive stone club, his muscles tense, ready to meet the enemies that were about to fall out of control.
However, the next moment, something unbelievable happened to all the giants who were on high alert.
Faced with this sudden G-force, although the dragons in the sky became heavy and sluggish in their flight, not a single dragon lost control and fell as the giants had predicted or hoped.
All that could be seen were the necks, the bases of the wings, and the thick claws of each dragon.
One by one, seemingly inconspicuous metal ornaments engraved with complex runes suddenly lit up with a steady light.
The runes flowed continuously, emitting a stable energy fluctuation that greatly counteracted and isolated the effects of gravity.
Dragons are known for their innate pride and rarely rely on external objects, especially alchemical tools. They always trust their own claws, breath, and tough scales more.
However, the dragon horde under the Iron King is different from others.
Putting aside other things, this kind of alchemical equipment, specifically designed to counter anti-aircraft measures, is almost standard equipment for every dragon.
"Foolish idiot! Did you really think we were unprepared?"
Samantha let out a sharp, mocking dragon roar.
Taking advantage of the giant's brief moment of shock and disorientation below, she suddenly charged forward, unleashing a super-high-temperature melting blade that flashed with a dangerous red light from her dragon claws, easily slicing through the stone giant's hard neck.
The dragons launched an even fiercer attack.
However, although the anti-flying measures that the giants had placed so much hope in had failed, this was, after all, their territory that they had cultivated for decades. They still held the home-field advantage, and the number of giants present was greater than that of the attacking dragon horde. In the short term, there were no signs of a one-sided defeat.
The battle between the dragons and the giants quickly entered a fierce stage.
However, the most important place on the entire battlefield is still the battle zone between the Iron King and the Mountain King.
The Iron King and the Mountain King tacitly distanced themselves from the main battlefield and engaged in a battle of kings amidst more desolate and treacherous peaks.
Here, only jagged rocks and sheer cliffs bear witness to this battle of kings.
The Mountain King stands majestically on the ground, its massive body, with a shoulder height of over forty meters, appearing even more imposing against the backdrop of rugged rocks.
In terms of sheer size and sheer imposing presence, it even surpasses the Red Iron Dragon on the opposite side.
Facing the Mountain King, who was wielding a legendary battle axe and ready for battle, Red Iron Dragon did not underestimate him in the slightest.
At the start of the battle, he immediately activated his Frenzy and Blood Explosion states without reservation. As for the Crimson Lotus state, which requires the accumulation of thermal energy, he planned to activate it during the battle.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A heavy, ancient war drumbeat resounded from his strong chest, and the muscles beneath his black and red scales bulged terrifyingly, brimming with explosive power.
At the same time, streaks of dazzling golden electricity danced and crackled across his body.
The Starry Sky Form transforms into a helmet, greatly enhancing perception.
My Star Arm transforms into a four-armed form.
In an instant, Red Iron Dragon's speed, strength, nerve reaction... all attributes climbed to a whole new level, and its overall momentum surged.
Shanwang clearly felt the pressure emanating from his opponent and dared not be negligent in the slightest.
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. He gripped the thick handle of the Earth Ripper's axe tightly with both hands, took a step forward with a heavy stomp that cracked the ground, and then swung the battle axe in a wide arc, launching the first attack.
The battle axe slashed horizontally through the air with a piercing whistle that tore through the air.
Buzz—!
A solid, nearly twenty-meter-long, earth-yellow axe-shaped beam erupted instantly, cleaving through the air like a crescent moon, heading straight for the Red Iron Dragon.
This axe strike was far slower than the legendary swordsman's visually-enhancing attack, and it didn't come with any guaranteed hit effect.
However, the red iron dragon that was locked on suddenly felt a heaviness all over its body, as if it were being tightly gripped and squeezed by an invisible giant hand, and its movements became somewhat sluggish.
This is clearly some kind of effect that comes with the Earth Ripper.
Red Iron Dragon narrowed its eyes slightly, and its wings suddenly stretched to their limit.
Crimson energy shone and flowed like flames on the wing membrane, as if a pair of dazzling wings of light had suddenly unfolded.
With a mere wave of its wings, the dragon unleashed a tremendous force, instantly tearing apart and dispelling the oppressive pressure of the invisible hand.
Red Iron Dragon easily dodged the solid axe-shaped strike.
call!
Almost simultaneously with dodging the axe's edge, the Red Iron Dragon opened its mouth and unleashed a destructive dragon breath bullet, amplified by a small amount of internal heat, aimed directly at the Mountain King's face.
The spherical dragon breath was slightly less powerful than the linear breath, but it was more agile and swift, closing in on the Mountain King in the blink of an eye.
The Mountain King reacted quickly as well. He was experienced in combat and, instead of dodging or avoiding the incoming dragon breath bullets, he calmly raised his broad axe like a shield and swept it towards the dragon breath bullets.
Bang!
A violent explosion rang out, and flames and shockwaves surged and spread.
The mountain king was so shocked that he staggered back a few steps, and his vision was instantly filled with scorching flames.
However, in the instant before the flames had completely dissipated, the dragon's sharp claws, as sharp as giant blades, tore through the flames and slammed down on the mountain king's head!
"We've fallen for their trap!"
Surprisingly, instead of showing fear, the mountain king grinned and smiled.
Unlike most of his fellow hill giants, who are rough and straightforward, Groom is always shrewd and perceptive despite his rough exterior.
As early as when he saw the Iron King unleash that dragon breath, Shan Wang, with his rich combat intuition, anticipated that it might use it as cover to launch a close-range attack, and made preparations in advance.
As his body was thrown back by the dragon's breath, he slammed the heavy handle of the Earth Ripper's axe into the ground.
Earth Vein Severing!
Boom—crash!
Centered on the point where the axe blade struck, the earth was torn apart by an irresistible, invisible force, and a violent shockwave of energy rose from the ground, rushing toward Garos's relatively vulnerable abdomen as he charged out of the flames.
Smaller pebbles along the way were instantly pulverized by the shockwave, and the spreading flames were forcibly dispersed.
It was as if a brief vacuum channel had been plowed out of the air.
Faced with this sudden counterattack, Red Iron Dragon remained unfazed.
His evolved dragon wings suddenly twisted and vibrated at an unimaginable angle during his high-speed sprint, making a near right-angle upward turn to avoid the direct impact of the earth vein cleavage slash.
However, the shockwaves spreading from the edge of the attack still swept across the dragon's body.
Galos's body trembled slightly, and some fine cracks appeared on the scales on its body, but it did not break. A slight churning discomfort came from its internal organs, as if it had suffered some minor impact and internal bleeding.
However, that's all.
This injury is negligible for a dragon with such tenacious will to live.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Mountain King steadied his retreating body, and with the momentum of the Earth Ripper, he swung it upwards, slashing towards the Red Iron Dragon with the power to tear the earth apart.
Galos's body spun to the side, and its enormous dragon wings suddenly folded in a defying logic.
The axe blade, carrying a shockwave, grazed his scales, leaving some shallow wounds.
At the same time, Red Iron Dragon used the force of its side spin to move to the side of Mountain King.
He shifted his weight downwards, and his dragon tail, like a steel whip, lashed out at Groom's leg joint.
clang!
A deafening clang of metal clashing rang out.
The dragon's tail blade struck the handle of the Earth Ripper's axe, which had blocked the attack just in time, sending out a burst of dazzling sparks.
The Mountain King's fighting style is simple and direct, without too many fancy moves, but every strike is precise and effective. He uses the Earth Ripper with ease, demonstrating extremely high proficiency with the weapon.
After successfully blocking the tail attack, Sannoh's arm muscles bulged as he raised the Earth Ripper high.
He channeled his power into it and slashed down fiercely at the Red Iron Dragon's spine.
The shockwave effect of the legendary equipment was activated to its limit, causing the air around the axe blade to distort and ripple.
As before, Galos once again felt a heavy, oppressive feeling.
Other dragons of the same level might be severely affected, their movements becoming sluggish or even stiff.
However, Red Iron Dragon, with its numerous stats, broke free from the suppression effect in the blink of an eye and quickly moved sideways from its original position.
BOOM!!!
The giant axe slammed into the ground with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, instantly tearing out a huge crack like a ravine.
At the very moment the giant axe hit the ground, a sudden alarm bell rang in the Mountain King's mind, and a sense of crisis came from behind him.
It turned out that while dodging the giant axe's strike, Red Iron Dragon did not move away. Instead, it used the momentum of its rotation to move behind him in an extremely smooth arc!
The edges of the dragon's wings, like giant chainsaw blades, vibrated at a high frequency as they slashed towards the mountain king's back.
Mountain fortress!
At the critical moment, the Mountain King activated the defensive skill attached to Earth Ripper.
Centered on the battle axe deeply embedded in the ground, a thick, solid, earthy-yellow halo instantly appeared.
The light was heavy and thick, carrying an indestructible aura, like ten thousand mountains standing tall, and quickly enveloped the mountain king's massive body.
Click!
The dragon's wing slammed into the halo barrier, and a huge crack appeared on the surface of the barrier.
The mountain king staggered backward again.
Before he could regain his footing, the Red Iron Dragon's attacks came one after another, its wings changing from slashing to slapping, slamming heavily onto the already cracked mountain walls.
Click! Click! Click—!
Countless cracks spread rapidly like a spider web, and the originally thick halo barrier became flickering.
The mountain king was sent flying by the blow, crashing heavily into another mountain behind him, causing a deafening roar.
The mountain shook violently, its rock walls cracking, as if it were about to collapse at any moment.
"It's still far from being a true legendary realm."
Hong Tielong pondered to himself.
Through the series of intense and lightning-fast exchanges just now, he had basically tested out several of the Earth Ripper's effects.
In short, this equipment makes the Mountain King much stronger than a normal level 20 creature, but it is still a step behind the legendary swordsman he killed before.
Now that he had figured out the details, Galos decided to make a quick decision.
He took a deep breath, and his dragon scales gradually turned crimson, with streaks of fire flashing and intertwining to form a bewitching red lotus-like pattern, raising his overall aura to a new level.
The red lotus has bloomed!
On the other side, Grum, the Mountain King, who was trapped deep in a mountain crevice, felt a death crisis surging towards him, instantly engulfing him.
His body remained embedded in the broken rock face, but he made no attempt to pull himself out of the mountain.
His body sank inch by inch, deliberately sinking deeper into the mountain.
Rumble—!
Countless pebbles rolled down as a result of this strange occurrence.
The next moment, the mountain began to shake and tremble violently.
It rapidly changed, compressed, and shaped at a speed visible to the naked eye... In the blink of an eye, this huge mountain peak transformed into a rock giant that was smaller but more solid, still hundreds of meters high.
This giant was made of dense, hard rock, and its enormous body blocked out the sunlight.
In his hand, he still gripped an enormous rock battle axe shaped from countless mountain rocks.
Opposite, the Red Iron Dragon stretched its wings to their limit, its body radiating heat, and the crimson light flowing on its wing membranes resembled lava.
He suddenly flapped his wings!
The air behind them was compressed and detonated by extreme force, creating a clear sonic boom cloud.
His body vanished from its spot in an instant, like a ferocious meteor burning with crimson flames, crashing headlong into the magnificent rock giant.
"Earth, heed my command!"
A dull, rumbling sound, like ten thousand thunderclaps, rang out.
At this command, the earth ahead of the Red Iron Dragon's charging path suddenly cracked open.
Countless sharp, thick stone pillars, as robust as house beams, rose from the ground and shot into the sky. They crisscrossed, like ferocious fangs piercing from the depths of the earth, fiercely biting at the crimson meteor.
However, they were all instantly shattered.
The crimson, malevolent star was unstoppable, tearing through all obstacles and rapidly approaching the rock giant.
In times of emergency, the passage of time seems to be stretched out and slowed down.
The rock giant let out a deafening roar, swinging its massive rock battle axe with the force to cleave mountains, slashing at the oncoming red iron dragon.
Whoosh!
However, the Red Iron Dragon, charging at full speed, somehow managed to trace a spiral trajectory, dodging the giant axe's attack range with incredible agility and precision.
The next second, the Crimson Star crashed solidly into the chest of the Rock Giant!
Time seemed to stand still for a moment, as enormous kinetic energy and violent energy accumulated and compressed wildly at the point of impact.
collapse!
The deafening sound of shattering echoed through the sky.
The rock giant's reinforced, incredibly heavy rock body collapsed, shattered, and disintegrated layer by layer from the point of impact, like glass being struck by a giant hammer!
The fiery, malevolent star crashed through this massive body, bursting forth from behind the rock and sending shards of rock flying everywhere.
And this is just the beginning.
The crimson meteor that the Red Iron Dragon transformed into did not stop. It drew a sharp zigzag line in the air and charged again from another tricky angle, once again violently smashing through the already broken body of the mountain giant!
This was repeated several times, after several charges and penetrations.
This enormous body could no longer support itself.
It transformed into countless fragments of varying sizes, like a massive meteorite shower, rolling down from mid-air and crashing onto the earth with a deafening roar.
The true form of Mountain King Grum also fell along with this shower of stones.
He had just landed heavily, and before he could even regain his footing, his vision blurred.
A crimson figure broke through the billowing smoke and appeared beside him as if by teleportation.
The red iron dragon suddenly lunged forward amidst the falling rain of stones, its claws, covered in dense dragon energy, reaching for his ribs.
*Sizzle!*
Crimson Lotus's sharp claws slammed into the halo, producing a tearing sound that made one's teeth ache!
This time, the halo of the mountain barrier was violently distorted, and a gash was forcibly torn open. The sharp claws swept across, leaving deep cracks on the Mountain King's body.
"ah--!"
Groom let out an angry roar, swinging the Earth Ripper to his side in an attempt to force the Red Iron Dragon back.
However, Galos, having activated his Crimson Lotus form, completely overwhelmed the injured Galos with his speed.
With a flash of red, Garus appeared on the other side of his body, his dragon tail striking his knee joint like a heavy hammer.
Click!
A chilling shattering sound rang out.
The mountain king's kneecap shattered and deformed instantly, causing him to fall heavily to the ground, denting the earth beneath his weight.
As if summoned, the surrounding rocks immediately gathered together and quickly repaired the wound on his knee.
He roared and swung his battle axe again.
Garus moved around him constantly, always managing to dodge the axe's deadly edge at the last second. At the same time, his dragon claws, tail, wings... every part of his body transformed into weapons, relentlessly pouring down on the Mountain King, tearing through the mountain walls time and time again, leaving behind hideous wounds on his body.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The aftershocks of their battle continued to destroy everything around them.
The nearby mountain peaks were swept by the dragon's tail, their summits breaking and collapsing; the hard rock walls were cleaved open by the sharp edge of the battle axe; the entire battlefield was a mess, as if it had experienced a natural disaster.
Galos was like a death dancer teetering on the edge of a knife.
His repeated advances, dodges, and counterattacks were fluid and relentless, like a storm that left Mountain King Groom almost breathless.
Throughout Groom's long career, he has encountered many opponents who excelled in speed.
His usual strategy is to withstand the opponent's initial onslaught with his own strong defense and life force, and then seize the moment when the opponent is exhausted or has a gap in the attack to launch a thunderous counterattack, severely injuring or even killing them in one fell swoop.
However, the Red Iron Dragon's strengths go far beyond speed.
In the battle just now, the Mountain King did indeed seize two rare opportunities thanks to his rich experience and foresight.
The Earth Ripper's axe blade struck the Red Iron Dragon squarely, leaving a deep, bone-revealing wound.
However, what gushed from those wounds was not crimson blood, but scorching flames; the Red Iron Dragon's aura remained undiminished.
Moreover, Galos can always withstand damage with minimal cost.
Both successful attacks landed on his thickest, most vulnerable spots, not his weak points.
Faced with a Red Iron Dragon that was incredibly fast, had a desperately high evasion rate, and whose physical strength and defense far exceeded his expectations, Sannoh's aura became increasingly weak, and his movements became increasingly slow and sluggish.
He finally realized that there was an insurmountable gap between himself and the Iron King who could defy legend.
Even a decent piece of equipment cannot bridge the gap.
One minute later.
Galos dodged a powerful slash from the Mountain King, his body suddenly rising higher, and then, with the force of Mount Tai crashing down, he swooped down like a meteor.
The mountain king was breathing heavily, his chest like a worn-out bellows.
He looked up at the ever-growing figure in the sky.
The dragon's crimson body was covered with burning patterns, its four ferocious arms were poised to strike, and its vertical pupils were deep and calm.
The Iron King before them did not seem to have used his full strength yet.
Groom knew he had lost, lost utterly.
But deep inside him, a voice was screaming wildly.
I can't die! I absolutely can't die here!
Otherwise, the echoes of Seresia, the obsession with revenge, and the future of the tribe will be jeopardized.
...All responsibilities and concerns will vanish completely today with his death.
"No, I can't die yet!"
"My great revenge remains unavenged, and my tribe awaits revitalization. How can I... how can I die here?!"
The mountain king let out a hoarse roar.
He poured all his remaining strength, along with his longing for his homeland and his resentment towards his fate, into his legendary equipment.
The Earth Ripper rose high, humming and trembling, its earth-yellow light burning brighter than ever before.
This strike encapsulates everything he has ever done; it will be the strongest strike he has ever unleashed in his life! It is also his final struggle.
"sucker Punch."
Garus's swooping descent showed no hesitation; instead, it accelerated once more, seemingly intent on crushing the Mountain King head-on.
The dragon energy was compressed around him, especially at the fingertips of his four dragon arms, where the dragon energy was highly concentrated, as if he were holding four miniature stars.
"kill!"
With a roar, the Mountain King unleashed a blindingly bright Earth Ripper, slashing towards the Red Iron Dragon.
The suppression effect of the legendary equipment was pushed to its limit at this moment, and the sense of oppression was stronger than ever before.
However, for Galos, who was at his peak at that moment, he was still a little short of the mark.
Red Iron Dragon pushed its speed to the limit, breaking free from the suppression and disappearing from its spot before the Mountain King's slash could land.
Tear!
The blow, having lost its target, crashed heavily onto the ground.
The earth was cracked and broken, like a fragile eggshell.
A massive, bottomless, and incredibly wide ravine instantly took shape and stretched forward with destructive force, even cleaving a mountain hundreds of meters high that had blocked its path in two, from its base to its summit.
At the same time, a series of fierce winds came from behind the mountain king.
"No--!!!"
The Mountain King roared, his voice filled with grief and indignation.
But perhaps it was this extreme despair and unwillingness that triggered some deep-seated potential within him.
At that moment, the once-impregnable legendary pass began to waver, and his aura began to rise.
That legendary realm I've always dreamed of, that realm that symbolizes a leap in power and life level, seems to be right before my eyes, within reach!
The mountain king's eyes lit up with joy.
However, at the same moment, the four dragon arms of the Iron King were stretched backward to their limit, the muscles on the arms bulging like coiled dragons, like four powerful bows drawn to their fullest extent.
Dense, bloodshot veins quickly appeared and spread in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he activated his berserk state, and then—BOOM!!!
Galos's attack was like four falling meteorites, striking the Mountain King almost simultaneously.
Snap! Snap!
The mountain barriers were completely shattered.
Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!
Four muffled, loud bangs followed in quick succession!
Each of Garus's attacks left a huge hole in the Mountain King's body, shattering its hard body into countless pieces until it finally disintegrated completely.
Countless dust particles and pebbles, mixed with flames, shot into the sky and then fell back down in a flurry.
As the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, only the majestic and imposing crimson dragon body of the Iron King and the scattered rubble remained on the ravaged land.
Four claws shatter a legendary dream.
Groom, the Mountain King, this ambitious exiled giant, was mercilessly ended just one step away from becoming a legendary figure.
Whether it's through the accumulation of earth vein energy over time, or through a forced breakthrough under the pressure of life and death.
From beginning to end, Galos never gave him any chance.
P.S.: The author is almost a legend too! Please vote with your monthly tickets to help me reach the top!
(End of this chapter)
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