The young dragon tries to conquer the world

　Florence waved vigorously behind Sereria, who instinctively turned around and saw a dragon-human figure running towards her, sweating profusely. The dragon-humans were a different race from the humans who lived on this land. Although the only obvious difference between them was that the former had longer, pointed ears, the dragon-humans were actually a superior race with a wealth of knowledge that humans could not match.

　"Ceraria, welcome back."

　"Elder, what exactly is this state of emergency declaration? The atmosphere in the village is strange too. I saw a gigantic monster over in the dense forest. Could it be related to that?"

　Upon hearing Sereria's question, the Grand Elder had an "I knew it" look on her face, and squatted down, clutching her head. "W-what's wrong?" The Grand Elder raised her hand to stop Sereria, who was full of worry. It seemed that she had finally calmed down.

　"So it really wasn't a rumor."

　"How much did you hear from Florence?"

　"All I know is that the Gulong Observatory issued a state of emergency declaration."

　"Okay, then let's start from the beginning. Try to stay calm and listen carefully."

　The First Elder's words seemed to be spoken directly to her; before she even opened her mouth...

　He took a deep breath and said slowly, "A monster with unimaginable strength has appeared. Its name is Immortal Master, or Fortress Crab, and it belongs to the crustacean species."

　"Speaking of crustaceans, you mean things like the Daimyo Shield Crab or the Shogun Crab, right?"

　"That's right. However, those two types of monsters are actually quite similar. It's not just the crustacean species; flying dragons and bird dragons are the same. As long as they belong to the same species, their appearances will be similar. However, it is said that the body length of the Immortal Highman may be more than five times that of the General Scythe Crab."

　"Five times?"

　P.S.: Happy New Year! Happy New Year's Day!

　PS2: There are so many dragons I want to write about in Frontier, but I feel like writing them all would slow down the pace. Actually, for the Songstress, I've incorporated her into the Black Dragon's World Destruction storyline, which is the story of the Dragon Machine Soldiers of the Ancient Shured Kingdom. Then there's the Immortal Master, the Yaweng Dragon, the Sky Soaring Dragon, the Golden Dust Dragon, as well as the Imperial Ice Dragon, the Scorching Zero Dragon, the Dancing Thunder Dragon, the Carved Dragon, the Flame Hell Dragon, and so on.

　Volume 1: 459 - Cherish food, do not waste it

　Sereria couldn't help but imagine what it would look like if it were five times larger than the General Crab. The creature she had seen in the forest was probably about that size.

　"A monster this big actually exists in the world?"

　"No, no, I've heard there are even bigger monsters than it." In terms of sheer size, Lao-Shan Lung, Lavasioth, and even Fatalis are all much larger than it, but for Sereria, the Celestial Highman is indeed a very large monster.

　"Anything bigger?"

　"Yes, and you'll see it eventually. Anyway, since we don't know which direction the monster will move in, everyone has to be on high alert. If the monster is going to pass through Mejpoldan, we have to find a way to lure it away."

　“Even if you say to be on guard…” Sereria thought of that guy’s figure destroying the fortress. If that thing really entered Mejpoldan, even if the whole city used its strength to kill it, Mejpoldan would not be suitable for hunters to live in. However, it seems that the guy moves very slowly. It will probably take him a long time to get here.

　"Is that why they didn't choose to reinforce the walls but instead built a watchtower?"

　"Yes, the situation is still unclear, and we must protect our city no matter what."

　Upon hearing the elder's words, Sereria looked around Mejpoldan. She had lived here since childhood, watching Mejpoldan transform from a backward village into a bustling transportation hub on the continent. Her mind was filled with many thoughts. Although for hunters, even if a town was destroyed, it could be rebuilt several times, no one would want the place where they grew up to be destroyed.

　"However, I've heard that the chances of it coming this way are quite low," the elder said, seemingly noticing the troubled expression on Sereria's face.

　"Ah, oh, I see."

　"You always have to consider the possibility of something going wrong, so you don't have to worry so much, Sereria."

　"I understand. By the way, regarding that monster, Immortal Master, did the guild mention which direction it might move in?"

　"Yes, just like you saw, Cerelia, when the discovery report came out, its location was near the Alcoris Forest, while Mejboltan is in the southwest of the Alcoris Forest, right? It is said that the Celestials seem to be moving in a northwest direction, but of course, it may suddenly change direction."

　“Northwest direction,” Celia thought. The Spring of Prayer Tree was also within the area the Elder mentioned. “In addition, the Hunter’s Guild has also issued a notice that travelers should avoid using roads located on the possible routes of the Celestials. As long as no one provokes the Celestials, their route will not change.”

　Like Lao-Shan Lung, the Sage-like creatures, also known as Fortress Crabs, are relatively mild-mannered, indifferent and apathetic towards humans and smaller creatures. However, compared to Lao-Shan Lung, Sage-like creatures are more persistent in dealing with obstacles. If anything appears in their path, they will do everything in their power to remove it. If they are disturbed by humans in the process, they will change their attitude and retaliate against the humans who attack them.

　The danger of the Celestial Giant lies in the immense pressure created by its enormous weight and long, narrow limbs with a small contact area with the ground. Like the Lao-Shan Dragon, the Celestial Giant relies on its massive size and far superior strength to most other creatures.

　The destructive power of the ancient dragon occupies the top of the ecological niche. The immortals will even actively use their claws to swing and smash, and will also spray strong acid liquid from their abdomens.

　The power of this attack is terrifying. In the limited records, a group of soldiers was once hit by the strong acid liquid sprayed by the Celestials while defending the fortress. They were then corroded to the point of being completely destroyed along with the fortress, which was extremely horrifying. In order to intercept and drive away the Celestials who approach human cities, the Hunter's Guild had no choice but to use the same method as when dealing with Lao-Shan Lung: deploying various attack facilities on the Celestials' routes.

　“But then, wouldn’t that cause a huge headache for those who travel by land?”

　"But there's nothing we can do about it, isn't there? If the immortals were to follow the trail to Mejpoldan, the consequences would be unimaginable. Fortunately, there is a sea route available, so Mejpoldan isn't completely isolated. In any case, the most important thing is whether we can find a way to prevent Mejpoldan from being destroyed by its enormous body."

　"Yes, that's true. If we weren't fully prepared to fight the monster, such as with sturdy walls and well-protected city streets, ordinary hunter settlements wouldn't be able to stop such an overwhelmingly large monster from advancing. However, what we should be most concerned about is how such a huge monster can multiply without being discovered by anyone."

　Even the Hunter's Guild has not yet mastered all the monsters currently known. Every year there are reports of the discovery of various new species. Even the places where humans live only occupy a small part of this world. There may be many more amazing monsters hiding in unknown places. However, the Hunter's Guild is constantly updating the types and illustrations of monsters. But thinking about this, Sereria felt a chill down her spine.

　It's like peering out of a deep, unfathomable lake, or the feeling of thinking you're walking on solid ice only to discover that you're actually standing on a thin layer of ice. Or it's like suddenly realizing, while on a boat, that beneath a plank lies the icy ocean. What you consider common sense may not actually be common sense. Nature is far more profound and unpredictable than any hunter could imagine.

　"Anyway, I'll go check out the Prayer Tree Spring first. In fact, I accepted Donnie's request, which is about that Palico, the Palico that's working hard to save that songstress."

　The Grand Elder readily agreed to Sereria's request. Sereria felt that the Grand Elder must have known all along that he had accepted Donnie's commission, but Sereria had a premonition that the story between Toki and the songstress was definitely not that simple. However, no one around her, whether it was Edlinka, the Grand Elder, or Florence, was willing to tell her.

　But all of this was commonplace for the young girl, just like she was tasting the Lanternfish Dragon. The Immortal Master, or Fortress Crab, mentioned by the hunters was just a slightly larger crab to her.

　Compared to the herbivorous dragon meat and fire dragon meat that young girls usually eat, the meat of the lanternfish dragon is more delicate and elastic. Moreover, the roasted lanternfish dragon meat is rich in oil, especially the layer of oil under the skin that protects the internal organs. When you bite into it, the somewhat cloudy but white oil is immediately squeezed out and fills your mouth. Combined with the flavor of chili and pepper, it makes your mouth full of the aroma of oil.

　While Melalu was grilling fish, the young girl noticed Sereria, Sibert, and Edlinka. To guard against these upright creatures lurking in the shadows, the young girl thought for a long time and gave up the option of spraying them with the Mad Dragon Virus. Instead, she chose to stand in front of the stove. If Sereria knew that the young girl regarded them as creatures like rats in the shadows, she would probably just smile bitterly and rub her forehead. This was mainly because they were no match for the young girl.

　However, they didn't have such thoughts. Although the little girl's appearance and behavior were somewhat strange, at least she did look like a human. They didn't think she was an ancient dragon, let alone an ancient dragon like the Reincarnation Lord.

　Under the scorching heat of the flames, the dark purple skin of the Lanternfish gradually lost its vitality and turned charred black. The area where Melalu had cut the skin also began to curl up due to the heat of the flames. Melalu carefully controlled the temperature of the flames and then spread a sweet and sour sauce made of tomatoes, onions, salt, and black pepper on the surface of the Lanternfish. The sauce spread across the uneven surface of the Lanternfish and gradually decreased, eventually hanging precariously on the edge of the skin.

　"Awoo~" The little girl bit down on the belly of the Lanternfish Dragon. With a gentle push, her fangs pierced into the skin. The oil, which was scalding hot to humans but cool to the little girl, flowed down her throat and into her stomach. The little girl sucked a little of the oil from the Lanternfish Dragon's body, and then with a forceful shake of her head, tore off a large piece of fish meat.

　"Smack~ Smack~" The little girl chewed on the lanternfish dragon meat, which was covered with sweet and sour sauce. The oil and sauce were perfectly mixed together, making the lanternfish dragon meat taste even better. The wonderful taste made the little girl lick the sauce from the corner of her mouth with satisfaction. Then she buried her head in the meat and tore off a big piece of meat and chewed happily. On the other side, Lanmei cut off a piece of meat from the lanternfish dragon and slowly savored it.

　In Sereria and others

　To everyone's astonishment, the little girl quickly devoured the Lanternfish Dragon in front of her, leaving only its skeleton. Sibert grabbed Sereria's hand and made her pinch herself. As she grimaced, Sibert realized with a start that he wasn't dreaming. This meant that the little girl had really eaten an entire Lanternfish Dragon, and what was terrifying was that there was another Lanternfish Dragon waiting for her to eat.

　After finishing the smaller lanternfish dragon, the young girl elegantly wiped her mouth and then walked towards the stewed lanternfish dragon. Stewing fish is more difficult than grilling fish. In addition to the different sizes of the ingredients, grilling fish does not require much skill from the chef. And this is exactly the part that Melalu is most familiar with.

　Besides the large chunks of Lanternfish belly meat, the most delicious part is the Lanternfish's limbs. Although they are called limbs, the Lanternfish's fins do not have sharp claws like those of other monsters. Under Melalu's stewing, the Lanternfish's limbs have been cooked until they are very soft and flavorful. The little girl picked up a fin, and the skin was stewed until it was soft, tender, and bouncy, almost falling off the bone.

　The little girl grabbed the fin and put it in her mouth. Grabbing the other end, she gently pulled out the bones of the tarantula. "Mmm~ Mmm~" The little girl didn't need to chew much. She just took a sip and the tarantula's skin melted away. The end of the tarantula's fin wasn't hard bone, but cartilage-like tissue. The little girl bit down and pulled hard, tearing off all the cartilage tissue.

　The crisp and chewy texture and rich flavor made the little girl quite fond of this piece. She even picked up another fin before swallowing it all, forcefully licked off the skin and meat, and slowly chewed off the cartilage. Lanmei was also curious about what it tasted like. She used chopsticks to peel off the skin from the fin of the lanternfish, picked it up, and put it in her mouth, chewing it in small bites.

　"Hmm, this fish looks ugly, but it tastes surprisingly good."

　"Mmm~"

　"You, you need to be more careful when you eat. Even though your clothes don't get stained with greasy soup, you still need to be careful. Look, all this spilled food is such a waste."

　The young girl didn't care about how she ate, and Lanmei knew that too. But Lanmei's unique perspective made the young girl think about how much she had wasted before. Well, it didn't seem like that much.

　Seeing that her words had made the young girl fall into thought, Lanmei didn't know if she had said the right thing or the wrong thing. But seeing the young girl turn her head and carefully lick the sauce off her palm, it seemed that what she did was right. The young girl turned her head and looked at Lanmei again. Suddenly, the young girl also found a piece of meat on Lanmei's lips. Remembering what Lanmei had just said, the young girl stood up without hesitation and bit Lanmei's lips.

　Caught off guard by the little girl's sudden attack, Lan Mei instinctively leaned back. This wasn't out of distancing herself from the little girl or because she disliked her; rather, anyone would react similarly in such a situation. Lan Mei immediately realized this and quickly stopped leaning back, looking in the little girl's direction. Fortunately, the little girl's expression remained unchanged.

　Lanmei's face immediately turned red because this posture clearly indicated that the little girl was about to kiss her. But there were other things around. Was she really going to kiss here? Lanmei's heart suddenly started pounding. Because the last time she kissed someone, it was with a dragon girl, which was an adult version of a little girl. This time, it was with a real little girl. Thinking that she had never actually kissed a little girl, Lanmei couldn't help but feel excited.

　Lanmei glanced at the direction of the upright creature. Good, there were bushes blocking the way! Lanmei decisively closed her eyes, ready to enjoy the little girl's kiss. But a second later, Lanmei felt a kiss on her cheek, along with the wet feeling of a tongue touching her skin. Lanmei was just wondering, but then she thought that this might be the little girl trying to take things one step at a time, so she became shy and didn't dare to open her eyes.

　However, a second passed, five seconds passed, a minute passed, and Lanmei did not feel anything further. Lanmei opened her eyes in confusion, and at this time the little girl was already eating the lanternfish ribs. Lanmei touched her cheek in bewilderment and was surprised to find that the bits of meat on her face were gone!

　So you just ate the minced meat!

　P.S.: Did everyone have a great New Year's Day yesterday? I spent the whole day at home taking care of my mom, and it was exhausting! But we had hot pot for dinner, so it was still a pretty good day!

　Volume 1: 460 - Preparations for the Expedition and the Assembling of the Troops

　After Sereria left, Sibert and Edlinka continued...

　After observing Lanmei and the young girl for a while, in general, apart from the young girl's large appetite and strong aggression, Sibet and Edlinka couldn't see anything else about the young girl that made her different from ordinary children. Hmm, I wonder if being a little more silly and cute than ordinary children counts.

　As for Lanmei, it was even more normal. What they could see was that Lanmei was taking good care of the little girl. Of course, the food was the responsibility of the Melalu. And perhaps because neither the little girl nor Lanmei was human, Sibet and Edlinka felt that the intimacy between the two was a bit too much. The little girl and Lanmei were together almost all day long and never separated. There was also something that Sibet didn't notice, but Edlinka, as a girl, could sense: Lanmei's eyes were a little strange.

　Although she was in the wild, the young girl's life here was not much different from her life in Mejboltan. The only difference was that she didn't have to spend money on food anymore. Moreover, the young girl's behavior was highly similar to that of the hunters. However, because of the young girl's strength, the hunters spent five hours preparing and ten minutes hunting, while the young girl spent three hours hunting and three minutes eating.

　After observing for half a day, Sibert himself was getting a little tired of it. This was not only because their main purpose for coming out was to hunt Lanternfish Dragons, but also because the activities of the young girl and Lan were really simple. Sibert felt that there was no need to continue observing. Compared to what Donnie's Palico said, Sibert trusted his own eyes and intuition more, and his intuition told him that the young girl and Lan were good people.

　On the other side, Sereria followed the location of the Prayer Tree Spring to the nearest fortress. The town that built this fortress was called Mandy Town. When she reached the nearest city wall, Sereria couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. The view was so vast, the sky so clear, and a gentle breeze was blowing, that Sereria momentarily forgot that she had come to check if the Celestials would pass through this place.

　"Oh, you must be the hunter from Mejpoldan. We have already received information about the Celestials."

　"When I left the village, I only knew about the first wave of news about its appearance. Was there any new information added after that?"

　The mayor nodded excitedly in response to Sereria's question, "It seems to be heading this way."

　"It seems so." Seeing the mayor's nonchalant attitude, Sereria was speechless for a moment. Moreover, from the time she entered the town until she finished her tour and arrived at the city wall, the entire town of Manti did not confront the immortal, and there was nothing unusual about it. The residents of Manti were still relaxed.

　"Um, you didn't tell the residents of Manti Town about the Immortal Master at all, did you?"

　Sereria blurted out those words instinctively, her tone a mixture of protest and surprise. However, the mayor's face still wore an expression that said, "Although this fortress has indeed been in disrepair for many years and has been abandoned for a long time, there is no monster powerful enough to destroy it in one fell swoop." But Sereria reasoned that the Immortal Master was precisely the terrifying opponent capable of doing just that.

　Sereria believes that the mayor of Mande Town has underestimated this monster too much. The better approach would be to urge the residents to prepare for evacuation and the hunters to prepare for battle, just like when they defended against the Giant Halberd in Dondorma. The mayor of Mande Town seems to be underestimating the Celestial Master. If they wait until the Celestial Master gets close before deciding to evacuate, they will likely end up in a chaotic mess and barely manage to save their lives.

　However, if we start preparing now, there is actually quite a lot of time. Although the mayor probably doesn't really want to give up this place, if we're talking about fighting against a monster of such an enormous size, the difficulty is probably about the same as trying to change the direction of a storm with bare hands.

　"Are they heading this way?"

　"Yes, exactly."

　Sereria was increasingly unable to understand the mayor's thinking. "Are you saying that you believe it will only pass by and not directly attack the town?" Since the distance was still quite far, the monster's route would change drastically if it changed direction even slightly.

　"No, this area is all volcanic, and the terrain is quite complex. Logically speaking, it should still choose the valley between two mountains when it moves. In that case, I think it will pass directly through the location of this town."

　Hearing the mayor's words, Sereria was even more unable to understand why he was so calm. Sereria thought to herself, could this mayor think that he could defeat the other party? Although Sereria herself had only seen the immortal from a distance, her intuition told her that this opponent was definitely not an enemy that ordinary monsters could compare to.

　"Hehe, as the mayor, I naturally wouldn't rashly decide to fight such a powerful monster without any strategy. The reason I'm so confident in this town is, of course, based on evidence. By the way, if it's convenient for you, Miss Sereria, let me show you around."

　As the mayor spoke, he lightly thumped his fist, seemingly agreeing with the idea. However, his somewhat affected gesture only made Sereria more uneasy. So, Sereria followed the mayor...

　Then we arrived at the location of the city wall.

　The two headed towards the east side of Manti Town. The entire town was surrounded by sturdy walls, with gates on both the north and south sides that allowed passage. Sereria and the others had previously entered and exited through the south gate. In addition, there was another gate on the east side. However, there was no one around the east gate, and the gate itself was firmly closed, indicating that it had not been opened for some time.

　"What happened to that door?"

　"Oh dear, please don't rush."

　Seeing such magnificent city walls, Sereria thought that Mandy Town probably used this place to guard against any approaching enemies. There were walkways on the walls, and handrails on both sides.

　This place truly lives up to its reputation as a facility designed to confront large monsters. Just looking down from the wall made Sereria feel dizzy. Although she had experienced many harsh hunting grounds such as deep forests, scorching deserts, and volcanoes covered in lava, this was the first time she had ever seen such a view.

　If you turn around from this point and look towards the town, you can take in the entire scenery of Mande Town. Whether it's the densely packed houses or the pedestrians coming and going on the road, you can see all kinds of life at a glance. After appreciating the town, Sereria moved to the other side of the city wall.

　To the east of Mandy Town lies a deep and wide valley that stretches all the way to the foot of the mountain. Sereria thought that the valley the mayor had mentioned earlier was probably the one she was referring to. The roads in other directions were quite complex, and while they would be fine for humans, they would be too narrow for large monsters. Therefore, if a large monster wanted to attack Mandy Town, its only option would be to pass through the valley to the east.

　This valley was what amazed Sereria. Her surprise wasn't due to the valley's unusual shape, but rather the obvious signs of human intervention that were visible throughout it.

　The buildings, resembling city walls surrounding a town, transformed the entire valley into a massive passageway. Sereria saw many hollowed-out rock walls, which must contain intricate, crisscrossing pathways like an anthill. She felt she could see inside these pathways through windows in the rock walls; these were the passageways used to guide monsters.

　The passageway above the city wall was wide enough for a passenger car pulled by a herbivorous dragon to pass through. The passageway was paved with neatly arranged stone slabs and was in very good condition. It looked almost as good as the roads in the town. The road surface was so beautiful that Sereria almost regretted that it was usually left unused.

　Along the path, there were platforms that jutted outwards in large protrusions. Sereria thought that these were probably for the gunmen to shoot from above. The platforms were equipped with crossbows, cannons and other weapons, and the equipment for counterattacks was quite substantial. In addition, there were roadblocks. Most of the barriers along the path were fences to stop the monsters from advancing. Once the monsters were stopped by these barriers and exposed their weaknesses, the gunmen or operators of crossbows and cannons could take the opportunity to strike them head-on.

　The most crucial facility was located at Sereria's feet. She was now standing directly above the east gate she had just seen. There was a device facing the valley, and the east gate seemed to contain a rather complex mechanism. Although Sereria didn't quite understand the detailed workings, according to the mayor, it was a device that used powerful steam to propel a huge steel spear to thrust out forcefully.

　“We use the high-quality coal that can be mined in this area as fuel to generate a large amount of steam for power. Even Barbare doesn’t have such equipment!”

　The mayor calls this giant spear, which spins while thrusting with immense force, the Dragonslayer Spear. Major cities like Barbare and Dondorma also use similar weapons as a last resort, essentially a very powerful defensive weapon. However, judging from the mayor's explanation, although the Dragonslayer Spear in Mandee is based on Barbare's design, it seems to have its own unique aspects.

　While Mandy Town wasn't particularly large, and even smaller compared to Mejpoldan, Sereria had never expected to find such astonishing equipment in a town of this size. Moreover, the fortress contained mountains of supplies, mostly prepared for defensive operations. These included secret potions to boost hunters' stamina to the limit, ammunition for ballistae and cannons, and even high-powered bombs manufactured using special methods, including anti-dragon bombs.

　"Did you prepare all of these things?"

　The mayor seemed quite pleased with Sereria's surprised expression, and Sereria felt that his chuckles carried a hint of joy beyond what she usually felt.

　“This town is located near a volcano inhabited by powerful monsters, so this level of vigilance is essential. As long as the lookouts don't fall asleep and allow the giant monsters to get close, these devices should be able to defend the town from behind.” The mayor was even more satisfied with Sereria’s expression.

　"Well, Mandy is just a relatively new town with a short history, so this is the first time we've used these facilities."

　This is why the mayor didn't tell the residents anything at all—he had absolute confidence in the equipment.

　Indeed, judging by the equipment alone, Mandy Town is almost on par with Mejpoldan, which even surprised the experienced Serelia. No wonder the mayor remained so composed.

　Perhaps it was Sereria's praise that won the mayor's favor, for he instructed her in detail on how to use the Dragonslayer Spear. Directly above the city gate was a launching device resembling a small lectern; what appeared to be a pedestal was actually an oversized switch, which, when pressed, activated the device.

　Because of its enormous size, simply pressing it down was no easy task. Sereria noticed a large iron hammer, like a blacksmith's hammer, next to the pedestal; it seemed this hammer was used to strike the switch.

　"To compensate for the absence of any high-level hunters this time, could I also participate in the defensive battle?"

　The equipment here truly surprised Sereria. However, no matter how thorough the preparations, ultimately it depends on whether the user can make full use of it. Since the enemies are almost entirely unfamiliar monsters, Sereria felt she shouldn't feel safe so easily.

　Sereria's experience as a hunter had always warned her about this. Although she herself felt that she might be worrying a bit too much, she still took the initiative to ask to participate in the defensive battle, just to be on the safe side.

　"Of course! I'd be more than happy to welcome it! If Miss Sereria can also lend us a hand, then I can rest easy, hehehehe."

　The mayor was overjoyed and clapped his hands in delight. Seeing the other party's gratitude, Sereria felt a little embarrassed. However, given the current special circumstances, the other party's kindness was not necessarily a bad thing.

　"I have already submitted a request to the guild for assistance. It seems that the monsters that have attacked this time are indeed very powerful, and the guild has also indicated that it will send some hunters to participate in the battle."