Chapter 389 Natasha's Small Goal: Defeat the Red Iron Dragon
More than a month has passed since Natasha, the Golden Dragon, set foot in Dragon Valley.
During this time, Natasha observed the orderly Ignas dragon herd and the large, efficient Ironforge tribe's operating model.
Her understanding of the red iron dragon Garus also gradually deepened.
—This is a powerful being that combines strength and wisdom.
At the same time, the two dragons, who had also embarked on the path of martial arts, naturally had to exchange experiences.
The way martial arts dragons exchange experiences has always been direct and pure—fight!
Whew! Whew! Whew!
A fierce wind howled above Dragon Valley, scraping against the dragon's indestructible scales.
The dark red and golden dragon energy clashed like two armies, crashing and colliding in the void, creating bursts of energy ripples.
Various colors of light shone and exploded within it.
The deep roar of the dragon, powerful enough to overwhelm the howling wind, intertwined with the booming of air, creating an endless sound.
A dozen minutes later.
With a dull thud, the golden dragon's figure was thrown off balance by the red iron dragon's swift wing sweep followed by a claw strike. Immediately afterward, Garos's massive claws, covered in dark red scales, slammed heavily onto her back, forcing her to lose her flight and plummet diagonally towards the solid ground below.
collapse!
The ground suddenly trembled violently, and the thick snow instantly surged into white waves, spreading rapidly outward in a ring, revealing the permafrost surface below covered with spiderweb-like cracks.
Galos released his foot from Natasha's back.
His powerful physique stood firm amidst the swirling snow, like a mountain range, his chest rising and falling gently with each breath.
"That felt great! That felt great!"
Natasha was breathing heavily.
The air rushed into her lungs, bringing a stinging sensation, but also providing a slight relief to her overheated body.
She struggled to turn over and stand up again, shaking her slightly dizzy head.
Although she had many wounds on her body, and the tearing pain and soreness from overexerting her muscles were spreading throughout her body, she also appeared unusually satisfied and happy while grimacing from the pain.
Unlike Galus, she was not fascinated by pain itself.
What she craved was the feeling of complete focus and immersion during battle, and the exhilarating thrill of clashing with a powerful opponent.
Every encounter with Galos filled her with immense pressure.
But precisely because of this, in this state, her mind can be completely focused on the battle itself, and the speed at which her martial arts skills improve far exceeds her usual solitary training.
Moreover, Garos was far more pragmatic than his metal dragon companions in the Dragon Realm, who preferred to stop short of attacking.
Aside from avoiding vital organs and ensuring no one was in danger of dying, he had virtually no other concerns.
In the Dragon Realm, the battles between metal dragons were far less intense and realistic.
Because of the aura that Red Iron Dragon has developed through countless life-and-death battles, combined with the realistic combat feel of its claws piercing flesh and its scales drawing blood, Natasha sometimes even gets the illusion that Garus really wants her dead.
This incredibly realistic combat experience, like dancing on a tightrope, was extremely thrilling for Natasha.
"Just now, you tried to use ice skills to connect with fire skills, using the destruction caused by the instantaneous alternation of extreme heat and cold to reduce the defense and create an opening. That's a good idea."
Red Iron Dragon looked at Golden Dragon as he stood up and spoke in a low voice.
Natasha shook her slightly dizzy head and listened attentively.
"But at the moment of transformation, your dragon energy showed a noticeable stagnation. It's fine against weaker opponents, but against opponents of the same or stronger level, a momentary opening can be fatal."
"If you can't execute the technique smoothly, it's best not to use it in combat."
"It will instead become your own weakness."
Galos pointed to the area where he had been grazed by the attack earlier, where a trace of freezing remained on his scales, but it was rapidly melting away.
Natasha took a deep breath, feeling the still somewhat turbulent dragon energy within her body, and nodded thoughtfully.
"I see."
"The Four Symbols approach pursues change and combination to deal with all kinds of situations. However, if the change of elements is not smooth enough and there are gaps in the connection, then no matter how many changes there are, they will only become a burden and add flaws."
She paused, then looked at Galus.
She exclaimed, "Your attacks are like a relentless thunderbolt, leaving me breathless. Compared to you, my fighting skills are still too immature."
Natasha couldn't help but recall the details of the battle just now.
Every pounce, every tail whip, every claw strike of Garus seemed to have been honed through countless trials, perfectly natural. The transitions between movements were incredibly fast, almost as if Garus had been continuously using warrior skills, moving like a tidal wave, flowing smoothly without any excess or sluggishness.
Once he seizes even the slightest opportunity...
The ensuing dense and continuous attacks often establish victory and end the battle in a very short time.
Galos responded, "Ultimately, it's because you lack enough practical experience."
A young dragon's assessment of an adult dragon's lack of combat experience sounds somewhat contrary to the principles of the Heavenly Gang.
However, Natasha Kim did not refute this, and thus acknowledged it.
She still vividly remembers the scene she witnessed when she finally broke through Garus's tough Cold Explosion Scale defense during their first fierce battle.
The black and red scales covered with battle-worn patterns gave her a double impact, both visually and emotionally.
In addition, during these days, with one clash after another, and one insightful and in-depth discussion after another, Natasha could clearly feel her progress in the way of martial arts.
Previously vague ideas and concepts have become clear through practical experience and Garros's incisive comments.
Galos was also generous in sharing his combat experience with Natasha.
He also benefited from the process of exchanging ideas and exploring together.
Fighting against the Martial Dragon, who was proficient in the Four Symbols and skilled in elemental combinations and tactical variations, enriched his understanding of different fighting styles and countermeasures. Although the Four Symbols Dragon's endless elemental combinations and tactics could not pose a real threat to him, they were like a mirror, allowing him to see the rarely touched blind spots in his own fighting system.
Besides fighting and giving pointers, Garus also asked Natasha to act as his sparring partner.
This is a reward for his generous sharing of experience and guidance.
"Shall we conclude today's martial arts exchange here?"
Galos glanced at the sky and made a suggestion.
Natasha, still savoring the experience, stuck out her tongue and licked her chin, her golden eyes still gleaming with fighting spirit: "No, a little longer! I'm not done yet, I feel like I can squeeze out some more potential."
Red Iron Dragon nodded.
"Alright, then so be it."
Amidst the wind and snow, two enormous figures, one black and one gold, unleashed tremendous power once more, soaring straight into the sky. They repeatedly intersected, separated, and collided again until they gradually subsided after half an hour.
Natasha removed her gleaming golden armor and put it away.
She lay sprawled on the cold snow, completely undignified, as if paralyzed, gasping for breath, feeling as if every muscle and bone in her body had been completely drained, reaching her physical limit.
At this moment, she didn't even have the strength to move the tip of her tail.
Galos exhaled a breath of hot white air, stretched his strong body which had also undergone intense combat, and said to the golden dragon lying on the ground, "You rest here and recover. When you feel ready, come and join me for the next round of resistance training."
His breathing was only slightly heavier than before, showing no signs of fatigue or exhaustion.
The intense battle just now seemed to him as merely a well-intentioned warm-up.
Indeed, that is the case.
Therefore, Garos is already planning to take out the Crimson Silver Dragon and train it again.
Hearing Garos's words, the golden dragon couldn't help but complain weakly, "What a tireless monster... Garos, is there a perpetual motion machine inside your body? Don't you ever get tired?"
Upon hearing this, Galos thought about it seriously for a moment.
He answered in a pragmatic manner: "Of course I still feel tired, but I am working towards the goal of 'not being tired'."
He recalled his two battles against the red dragon Gorsas and the blue dragon Perest.
Only a battle of that caliber could tire him out.
In comparison, the fight with Natasha was far from reaching that level of intensity.
Natasha was speechless. Faced with Red Iron Dragon's answer, which sounded like a boast but was also incredibly serious, she didn't know how to react for a moment.
"An arrogant and perverted guy..."
She gritted her teeth, her mind involuntarily conjuring up the wonderful scene of one day becoming much stronger, defeating Galos, and then looking down at him and instructing him on his fighting techniques.
After all, no matter how much you love fighting, you can't always be the one being suppressed and taught a lesson.
Learn and master Garus's fighting techniques, and then surpass him!
—This is a small goal that Natasha set for herself.
What she didn't know was that the last person to set a similar goal and even make a vow for it was her own brother Alberto, and that ambitious golden dragon was still struggling in a cycle of repeated defeats and repeated attempts, with the day he fulfilled his vow still a long way off.
Having warmed up, Garos flapped his wings and returned to the Dragon Valley area.
"Huh? Where is Deborah?"
His gaze swept around, but he did not spot that familiar silver-white figure.
"Here, here! I know where she is, I'll take you there!"
The fairy dragon immediately appeared, all smiles, and hopped ahead to lead the way.
Thus, with the enthusiastic guidance of the fairy dragon Vera, Garus found the Crimson Silver Dragon hiding at the bottom of the lake, using a shapeshifting spell to disguise himself as a large silver fish, attempting to blend in with the school of fish and slip through the net.
"Deborah, stop hiding, I've found you."
The big silverfish remained silent, feigning ignorance.
Galos shook his head slightly, then charged wildly, scattering the school of fish and picking out the large silver fish alone.
How did you find me?
Left with no other choice, Deborah reverted to her original form.
Garos did not betray his accomplice, and despite the resistance that was half-hearted, he forcibly led the Crimson Silver Dragon out of its comfort zone and into a new round of training.
Time passed slowly and steadily amidst the howling wind and snow.
Not long after, the Crimson Silver Dragon collapsed, exhausted. The Fairy Dragon flew over and whispered bad things about Garus in her ear, indicating that he and Garus were firmly on the same side.
Galos, accustomed to this, began training alone, focusing more intently and deeply.
Meanwhile, in another area of Dragon Valley, the young dragons and hatchlings from the Dominic Dragon Clan are undergoing rigorous physical training and basic skill practice under the strict, almost harsh, training of the White Dragon Therese.
The air was filled with the suppressed groans and heavy breathing of the young dragons.
However, no dragon cried out in distress.
It is said that the mighty King of Molten Iron gained his current awe-inspiring power by undergoing training far exceeding the imagination of ordinary dragons.
This greatly inspired these young successors, who took Galus as their role model and strived to emulate him.
Moreover, despite the frighteningly high intensity of the training, which often resulted in broken scales and torn skin, the training was extremely rigorous.
However, the food and nutritional supplies provided to them by the Iron Smelting Tribe were unprecedentedly abundant and of high quality, enough for them to indulge in feasting after exhaustion and recover quickly.
This is a level of treatment that would have been completely unimaginable in the original Dominican dinosaur population.
Because of these tangible benefits, and because the arduous training, though painful, is remarkably effective and truly beneficial to their growth and development, these young dragons and fledglings are increasingly feeling a sense of belonging and trust in the Ironforge tribe.
At the same time, they gradually came to regard the Dominican dragon pack to which they once belonged as a native dragon pack that they could not bear to look back on.
Rumble!
The deep roars of the dragons, the tremors of their heavy footsteps pounding the earth... all these sounds intertwined, rising and falling, never ceasing.
The atmosphere in the entire Dragon Valley is fiery and vibrant.
If the ground and mountains here hadn't been reinforced and enchanted by the sorcerers of the kin, and if there hadn't been a dedicated engineering team constantly maintaining and strengthening them, it would have been truly difficult to withstand the daily, almost frenzied, training and torment of so many dragons.
Soon after, night quietly slipped in.
The pitch-black night sky, like a thick velvet cloth, enveloped the heavens and earth, and snowflakes danced wildly in the howling cold wind.
Under the cover of night, it seemed that only Dragon Valley was still radiating light, with numerous campfires and magical glow dispelling the influence of darkness.
The young dragons and fledglings finally finished their grueling training for the day. Then, dragging their exhausted bodies and flapping their still-tender wings, they flew unsteadily toward their own caves carved into the steep cliff face, ready to drift off to sleep and prepare for the challenges of the next day.
Just then, a golden dragon shadow circled in the sky, seemingly searching for something, before landing in front of Garos, who was still honing his skills alone.
It's Nasa the Golden Dragon.
After a period of rest, she regained some of her physical strength.
"You've come at the perfect time."
Galos paused slightly, stopping for the moment.
He looked at Natasha, whose breathing had become much calmer, and called out to her, "Attack me with your elemental skills. The requirements are the same as before; don't hold back."
Natasha was already used to this and didn't hold back.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the lingering soreness in her body, raised her dragon claw, and the dragon energy within her surged and circulated once more.
The next moment, flames, ice, lightning, rock spikes, torrents... all sorts of elemental attacks with different attributes, like the most dazzling fireworks display during a festival, bombarded the Red Iron Dragon relentlessly.
The blinding light instantly engulfed Galos completely, and the turbulent energy caused the surrounding air to distort.
The scales on his body crackled softly, but he showed no sign of pain. Instead, a hint of pleasure flashed in his eyes. He even stretched out his wings and body, slightly adjusting his posture to match Natasha's attack angles, allowing the elemental attacks of different attributes to more comprehensively cover every inch of his body.
Although there was no specific progress bar, Galos was quite certain that he was gradually adapting to these attacks.
His resistance was thus gradually increasing.
After a while, Natasha felt as if her body had been completely drained, her dragon energy was almost depleted, and her breathing became rapid and heavy, like a broken bellows. She slowly stopped this round of elemental outpouring.
Galos's body was now covered with scars and marks left by various elements.
Scorched, frosted, corroded, cracked... and so on.
Under such fierce bombardment, large areas of the cold-burst scales on his body surface had broken off, revealing the underlying black and red scales covered with countless battle-worn patterns.
The dense patterns and elemental traces complement each other.
Far from appearing disheveled, his imposing stature and strength were further accentuated.
A fierce aura, forged in countless battles and tempered into steel, swept over her, causing Natasha, who was panting heavily, to momentarily lose her composure and find it difficult to look away.
Just then, as if sensing something, Galos and Natasha turned their heads almost simultaneously, looking in the same direction.
Alberto was approaching with steady, unhurried steps.
He straightened his chest and raised his head high, his eyes seeming to hold the power of a lion poised to pounce, exuding a profound aura unlike anything he had ever shown before.
Most importantly.
Both Galos and Natasha keenly noticed that Alberto's golden dragon horns had somehow changed from one pair to four pairs!
The newly grown dragon horns meandered and intertwined cleverly.
Finally, a majestic structure resembling a natural crown formed above his head, shimmering with a noble and mysterious luster under the glow of the campfire and magical light.
Under the watchful eyes of Red Iron Dragon and his sister, Alberto remained silent and offered no explanation.
He simply raised his head again to make his dragon horns stand out more.
(End of this chapter)
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