Starlight recognized them at a glance; these creatures looked almost exactly like the monsters that had attacked the Star-Song Forest.
Unlike the corrupted dragon Ikana they had encountered before, these monsters were smaller but even more twisted.
Their original forms were completely unrecognizable, as if they had been forcibly kneaded by some power and then haphazardly stitched back together.
At the center of the cluster of twisted monsters, a heart-palpitating sight was revealed to the group.
On a protruding rock pillar at the base of the stone mountain, a massive azure figure was tightly bound by countless grey chains.
It was a giant Blue Dragon. Most of its originally crystal-like blue scales had been stained a sickly grey, and its slender neck hung limply to the side.
“That’s... the Blue Dragon Guard from earlier?!”
Starlight’s expression changed abruptly when he saw the blue figure clearly.
While he, like most people, couldn't distinguish between individual dragons, this one had several large holes shot through its wings.
Judging by the shape and location of the wounds, it was clearly one of the two Blue Dragons that had fought the Leaf-Cutter Squad on the mountain ridge.
But why would it suddenly appear here, and why was it bound to the stone mountain by these eerie chains?
This was an adult dragon. Although it was nowhere near the level of a Dragon King like Yserazor or Seranox, it was at least equivalent to a human Saint Rank powerhouse.
The small and medium-sized monsters surrounding it were individually weaker than even high-tier practitioners. They clearly shouldn't have had the ability to wound it like this.
“Those chains... don’t they look a lot like the ones those humans used before?” Little Gold asked in a low voice, his golden eyes fixed on the grey chains writhing between the Blue Dragon’s scales.
Starlight’s heart jolted at the observation. Prompted by Little Gold, he noticed that the flickering runes on the chains did indeed look familiar—the arrangement of the runes and the way the energy flowed were identical to the control magic formula they had seen in the Crimson City-State.
The only difference was that the chains, which should have been composed of basic elemental mana, were now entirely replaced by death power, making the effect of the entire technique completely different.
As the three watched, the small monsters arranged themselves in a specific formation, continuously exhaling grey mist toward the stone mountain.
Under the transformation of the chains, this mist formed a suppressive field that defied common sense.
Whenever the imprisoned Blue Dragon tried to struggle, the runes on the surface of the chains would flare up like countless greedy mouths, biting deep into the gaps between the dragon scales.
Clang—!
As the chains constricted once more, a large area of scales on the Blue Dragon’s chest shattered, sending a spray of blood into the air. If this continued, even an adult dragon wouldn't last much longer.
The bloody and cruel scene made Lian cover her mouth, her eyes instantly reddening. “This is too cruel... we have to save him!”
Even without Lian’s reminder, Starlight was already prepared to act. Against such opponents, he didn't need to worry about any psychological burden; he could directly use the Shadow of Annihilation he had recently mastered.
However, the angle of attack was a problem. Although the small monsters weren't strong individually, there were dozens of them.
Their positioning was very loose. With Starlight’s current strength, it was impossible to wipe them all out in a single move.
And without a vanguard to assist him, he would fall into a passive situation once the monsters closed in.
While he was weighing his options, Little Gold suddenly stepped forward and said solemnly, “You just need them to be lured away or gathered together, right? Let me do it!”
“Are you crazy!” Starlight glared at him and grabbed his wrist. “Those monsters aren't strong to me, but what can you do with your current strength?”
Starlight knew Little Gold’s background. Not long ago, he was a total weakling who couldn't even break through a spatial lock. Now he was confidently offering to be the bait?
Moreover, judging by Yserazor’s attitude toward Little Gold, he definitely held some important secret. Starlight didn't dare let him take such a risk now.
“Hmph, don't look down on me, Starlight. I’ve become a lot stronger now!” Little Gold patted his chest, his expression becoming serious. “I am the son of a Dragon King. Protecting my people is my duty!”
“Are you sure? Once you’re surrounded by those monsters, I can’t guarantee your safety!” Seeing the determination in Little Gold’s eyes, Starlight slowly let go of his hand and asked softly.
“Of course! Do you even know who I am? I’m a genius!”
Little Gold smiled slightly, and the Dragon Ancestor's Legacy Scale on his chest emitted a golden light.
As the golden glow intensified, Little Gold’s body began to undergo a startling transformation—the patterns of dragon scales began to emerge on his slender arms, and a pair of small golden dragon horns grew from his forehead.
With a ripping sound of fabric, a pair of brilliant golden wings tore through his clothes and spread out from his back, shimmering as if cast from solid gold.
Starlight had assumed Little Gold was going to transform into a full dragon to fight, but to his surprise, the physical change stopped there. He had entered a half-human, half-dragon form.
“See that?” Little Gold turned his head. After the transformation, his voice was deeper than usual, carrying a hint of the unique majesty of the Dragon Race. “This is a new form I only recently mastered. Isn't it awesome?”
As he spoke, he casually stretched his body and wings. Faint streaks of golden light drifted from him, looking very much like the piercing War God Battle Qi.
Lian stared wide-eyed and instinctively reached out to catch a drifting speck of light.
“Don't touch it!” Little Gold barked, making Lian’s hand freeze in mid-air. “This power is still very unstable. It could easily hurt you!”
“Hmph, as if this energy could actually hurt me!” Lian pouted, letting out a dissatisfied huff.
“Alright! Now is not the time for bickering.” Starlight’s gaze swept over the group of monsters in the distance that were beginning to stir. “Little Gold, are you sure you’re ready? The commotion just now has already caught their attention.”
Indeed, the golden light from Little Gold’s transformation was exceptionally conspicuous in the grey, mist-filled environment.
Seven or eight monsters had already stopped exhaling grey mist. Their twisted heads turned toward where the three were hiding, and cracks opened on their featureless faces as if they were sniffing for something in confusion.
“Fine, then I’m going in first! Starlight, you better keep up with me!” Little Gold nodded seriously. After saying that, he leaped from the canopy, flapped his wings, and flew toward the stone mountain.
“Hey! You damn ugly freaks!” Little Gold performed a nimble somersault in the air, intentionally using his wings to fan out bursts of dazzling golden light. “Look over here! Come and get me if you can!”
The deformed monsters were indeed attracted by Little Gold’s shout and raised their heads toward the sky.
“Ga!”
Suddenly, one of the monsters with a humped back let out a piercing shriek.
The sound was like a signal for the attack. In an instant, the dozens of monsters swarmed like a disturbed ant colony, madly lunging at Little Gold in the air.
The monsters used their deformed limbs to leap from the ground in a bizarre fashion, trying to grab Little Gold, but they were always just out of reach.
“Is that all?” Little Gold intentionally slowed down, flying just ahead of the monster pack.
He would dive to lure them and then pull up sharply, leading the twisted creatures toward the back of the stone mountain like a kite, intending to circle around and cluster them together.
“Why didn't I realize Little Gold could be so annoying before?” Starlight watched the lured monsters and then looked at Little Gold in the sky, smiling.
Little Gold’s provocative behavior, combined with his exaggerated funny faces, made him look like a naughty child, with hardly any of the majesty expected of a Dragon King’s son.
But jokes aside, Starlight’s hands never stopped moving. A layer of ink-black energy quietly condensed over his body.
Rate on N.U.
