The young dragon tries to conquer the world

　Sereria asked Edward, who was taking pulses in the neck and hands, and Edward turned around and smiled.

　"No problem, she's not injured. She just used up a lot of energy running out in ordinary clothes. However, for some reason, someone has already given her emergency treatment, and she was even given a hot drink after being brought here."

　Who brought her here? Never mind, the most important thing is that the child is alright.

　Thinking of this, Sereria cracked her neck. "That's right. This child is also determined to save the village. Things haven't gotten to the point of no return yet, which is wonderful..."

　Sibert breathed a sigh of relief, believing that the girl's family would be reassured after seeing her. Although Sibert was not of noble birth, his dedication to this matter surprised Sereria.

　"Alright, what should we do next? Should we send this child back to the village first?"

　Sibert did not immediately agree with Sereria's opinion.

　"Edward, based on your diagnosis, does this child not need to see a doctor immediately?"

　"Yes, it should be said that it is safer to stay here, and there is a fire here, so it would be best to let her rest for a while."

　Edward answered, still puzzled, and Sibette nodded in agreement.

　"Next, we'll proceed directly to the hunting activity."

　"Huh? Going to hunt the Fierce Dragon."

　Even Sereria was surprised and couldn't help but ask a question in return.

　Volume 1: Chapter 488 - Defending the Metapetra Mountains

　“Yes, if we choose to go back here, it’s the same as ignoring the Savage Dragon. Although the Savage Dragon is not very dangerous, if it is regarded as prey or an invader by the Savage Dragon, its danger will increase significantly. Or what if the Savage Dragon encounters those merchants who have come from afar?”

　"Therefore, considering the danger posed by the dragon, and its proximity to inhabited areas, we hope this dangerous situation can be resolved as soon as possible."

　"That makes sense."

　Sereria nodded. The Savage Dragon was a monster that almost every Mejepoltan hunter knew, and even the Hunter's Guild's advanced courses used Savage Dragon material for explanations, so Sereria was very familiar with the Savage Dragon.

　The entire body of the wrathful dragon is covered in scales, giving it a deep blue hue. Unlike other flying dragon species, the wrathful dragon's scales have the property of becoming shinier when wet. Furthermore, these scales do not overlap to form a carapace, which is a rather unique ecological characteristic of the wrathful dragon. However, the most distinctive features of the wrathful dragon are its large horns integrated with its head and the fin-like structures on its wing bones.

　Although the savage dragon's thorn-covered appearance makes it look very aggressive, and it also displays a rather savage and violent demeanor in battle, this seemingly ill-tempered creature has actually established a coexistence relationship with two herbivores nearby. The slanted springbok and the grey bison have almost no wariness of the savage dragon, and the savage dragon does not attack them proactively.

　This also explains the unique habits that the Savage Dragon has evolved to the present day: it does not relentlessly pursue and attack those who do not show hostility towards it, but only reveals its sharp blade to enemies who are not afraid of intimidation. The hunter was quite surprised when he first observed the Savage Dragon's behavior; this Savage Dragon was too honest.

　In terms of physical characteristics, the large, light blue horn integrated with the head is the symbol of the draconian dragon. It possesses an astonishing hardness that seems impossible to destroy, as well as a fin-like structure at the front of its strong wings. Like the velociraptor, this part has a thin and sharp edge, and is also covered with sharp and deadly spikes.

　The tail of the Savage Dragon is also very strong, made up of a large number of muscle fibers. Hunters have confirmed that it is difficult to cause effective damage to the Savage Dragon's tail unless the attack is concentrated on this part. During the hunt, hunters have found that the Savage Dragon is good at using these physical functions as weapons to launch attacks. In particular, when the Savage Dragon uses its giant horns to attack, it feels like a Diablos.

　If it appears in a deserted place, that's fine. But if it appears near Mejpoldan and the surrounding villages, then hunters will have to hunt down the dragon. Considering this, if we act now, it would be better to let Vanessa rest here in peace while Sereria and the others go out hunting.

　"Indeed, that would be better."

　"Just in case, it's best to leave a message, so that even if she wakes up, she can stay here."

　"I understand. I'll leave my message here in the Hunter's Journal then."

　"Please, let's go and prepare for the hunt first, and start hunting as soon as we're done."

　“Okay, that was the plan when we set off from Mejpoldan. Now, we have one less psychological burden before the hunt.”

　"Hmph, that's just like your way of thinking."

　"Right."

　While Sereria and Sibert were talking quietly, Edward had already left a message and begun preparing for his hunt. The message read, "Trust and wait for us." It was written in a rugged, masculine style, which would surely put her at ease even if she woke up.

　"Alright, you two, let's go."

　And so, Sereria, Sibert, and Edward set off on a hunt to protect the safety of Mejepoltan and the surrounding area of ​​the Metapetra Mountains.

　Not far from the camp, there wasn't even a trace of the small monsters we usually see. This area is where Velocidrome and Ampharos might come, but considering the characteristics of the prey, even this familiar environment and the peaceful scene of the whole area felt like static electricity was irritating my skin.

　Most importantly, even in such an area, savage dragons could appear. Relatively speaking, Sereria and her group had not yet fully entered hunting mode. After realizing this, Sereria immediately looked around instinctively. The rolling mountains seemed to connect with the area, but there was not a trace of savage dragons there.

　"Phew..." My tense body relaxed a little more.

　"Alright, let's move on to the next area. What kind of route will it take this time? It seems its range of movement is the same as the Tigrex's, right?"

　After Sereria confirmed, Sibert nodded again, "That way..."

　"Then, just like when hunting the Tigrex, let's go through the cave ahead to the summit."

　"That's right, you can't encounter large monsters in caves."

　"Yes, but the same logic applies since the Savage Dragon didn't appear in the area ahead."

　"If we're only considering the Savage Dragon, then that's correct."

　"What does 'just' mean..."

　"It refers to mixing with large monsters and other monsters."

　"Are there other monsters besides the savage dragon!?"

　Even Sibert's eyes widened, as did Edward's, who had followed from behind. Compared to the two surprised individuals, Sereria merely shrugged. "It's just a precaution. Although the possibility is rather small, wouldn't it be dangerous to completely forget about this?"

　"Hmph, don't try to scare people. But you're right, if we only focus on the dragon, we'll neglect other things."

　"Yes, if we stay alert, we can turn danger into safety."

　Edward nodded and "hmm," while Sibert took several deep breaths and then looked up at the snow-capped mountains.

　The pristine mountain stands tall towards the sky, its slopes bathed in sunlight, gleaming with a silvery-white light. The summit is covered with thick vegetation, which, after a strong wind blows, transforms into a green ocean that sways in all directions. However, this makes it impossible to see what kind of monsters might emerge from the vegetation, and the danger of being ambushed gradually increases. The calmness that Sibert mentioned becomes increasingly important.

　Thinking of this, Sereria gritted her teeth again, climbed the rock platform in front of her, and used her wrist strength to pull herself up. After climbing a little further, this time the height difference was smaller, and she climbed up easily. Then she came to the crack in the rock in front of her. After checking her equipment, Sereria and the other two prepared to enter the cave.

　After preparing for the drop in temperature and reduced visibility, the three jumped into the cave at the same time. Although the cave was spacious, due to the terrain, it was impossible to encounter large monsters. After bypassing small monsters such as wild boars and white Velociraptors, the three arrived at the top of the mountain.

　After passing through the cave, unlike the area we arrived at at the beginning, the vegetation here consisted of only a thin layer of green moss on the ground. Stone pillars of varying sizes and a large number of pebbles stood around, making the whole area look more spacious.

　“There’s only Gaullu here…” Sibert said, holding the Demon God Slayer Blade while keeping watch around the area.

　Sereria and Edward, who arrived a step too late, were just as alert to their surroundings as Sibert, ready to draw their weapons at any moment.

　This area is inhabited only by the herbivorous species, the black deer. Although it is a herbivorous species like the springbok and the grey horned buffalo, its size is quite different. Although it has four legs, it is small in size and moves very quickly. Therefore, it does not have the strength to pull a wagon like the herbivorous dinosaur.

　The fur or high-quality antlers, raw meat or liver obtained from the Ga'u deer are very important items. Since these can all be obtained through hunting, almost no one would domesticate them as livestock.

　They are very docile, and these gentle Gawu deer are strolling peacefully. Wild animals have a keen sense of smell, and if they are completely unaware, it means that the Manlong is still some distance away from this area.

　After confirming this, Sereria finally breathed a sigh of relief.

　Let's head to our next destination.

　Sereria urged them on, and Sibert and Edward both nodded. Their bodies were finally beginning to adapt to the tension unique to hunting. Although this would consume their stamina until their movements became sluggish, it was the most agile state for a hunter. It could be said that their bodies had finally awakened.

　"We should meet soon enough."

　Of course, Sereria is not fearless. If she encounters a large monster, danger will befall her, and it might even become a painful memory.

　Even so, the ability to overcome difficulties and the confidence to continue on the right path can drive people to take action. It is precisely because of the will to overcome terror that people can move forward.

　Sereria identified the next area to proceed to.

　"Next, we should go to that place down the mountain."

　The platform at the foot of the mountain is quite open and offers a great view. Since there is a place to climb the mountain from here, you will usually be above the clouds, so the vegetation is a bit richer.

　"I think this place is great, Edward, what do you think?"

　Sibert looked up at the sky. "Let me think... what about me..." As usual, he slowly stated his opinion and then asked for opinions. Sereria felt that she should ask Edward with "yes" or "no." Sibert also seemed to realize his mistake and gave Sereria an apologetic look.

　The next instant, behind the three people who were talking, there was a loud bang, as if an earthquake had occurred, like a huge object falling from the sky.

　A powerful storm lashed at the three's faces, even blowing away Edwater, who was wearing heavy armor. The force of gravity and their own weight as they slammed into the ground created a shockwave with earthquake-like effects, causing them to fall back to the ground just as they were about to stand up. Furthermore, the dragon's abdomen possessed highly elastic skin, which...

　It acts as a buffer and absorbs impact, thus protecting oneself from injury.

　Before the three could even stand still, a strong killing intent swept towards Sereria and the others. In an instant, the fur on their bodies stood on end, and the three of them simultaneously picked up their weapons.

　Sereria picked up the Flying Dragon Blade [Moon], Sibert gripped the Demon God Slash Blade, and Edward drew the Reverse Sand. Everyone took their weapons. Although the guy opposite them looked like he was skilled in melee combat, the savage dragon could actually use high-pressure water guns and water bullets to attack.

　"Roar!"

　The dragon unleashed a murderous aura upon any hunter who dared to invade its territory.

　"Avoid it!"

　Across from the three, the enemy suddenly launched a fierce attack, its entire body leaping and closing the distance in a low stance using its two legs. Its large horns sliced ​​through the rock, and its fin-like dragon wings were aimed at the hunters' location. Sereria and her group scattered and avoided the initial attack.

　After Sereria and her group brushed past the dragon, the distance between them widened again, as if they were probing each other's weaknesses. Once the dragon regarded them as intruders, there was almost no way to eliminate its hatred.

　"Savage Dragon!"

　In that instant of conflict, their eyes met, a gaze tinged with an icy chill. Only one will was visible in their eyes: a single-minded desire to eliminate all the hunters in the hunting grounds. This sharp, unwavering gaze sent a shiver down Sereria's spine.

　Sibert and Edward, who had spread out to the left and right of the dragon, seemed to have escaped its range. After readjusting its stance, the dragon leaped towards Sereria and continued its attack.

　"Woo!"

　Soon, Sereria raised her Flying Dragon Blade [Moon] to block the savage dragon's attack at her abdomen. Sereria's attack, which utilized the elasticity and speed of her entire body's muscles, clashed with the savage dragon's powerful attack, which was not the result of training but rather an instinctive use of its body weight.

　The impact coursed through her entire body, making one worry that the katana might crack. However, it turned out that the blacksmith's craftsmanship was superb. It was just that Sereria's body was about to give way to the attack and she was being gradually overwhelmed by her opponent. The dragon leaped and quickly jumped back to the rear. As Sereria raised the dragon sword [Moon] again, the dragon turned around, readjusted its posture, and then attacked Sereria again.

　"So fast!" In addition to its speed, there was almost no flaw between the movements. It attacked purely on instinct, which left a very strong impression.

　On the other side, Edwater, having secured his position, was ready to provide cover from the Reverse Sands. As his gun fired, a bullet tore through the air and struck the massive body of the dragon. The bullet emitted an electric shock upon impact. Edwater observed the bullet's effect while rapidly reloading elemental bullets. Although they were somewhat unreliable, their high attack power was undeniable.

　Fireworks.jpg

　Volume 1: 489 - The Last Remaining and

　Despite the Guild classifying the Fierce Dragon as a six-star danger level, hunting the Fierce Dragon was not an impossible task for Sereria and her friends, who possessed the strength of a G-rank hunter. Sereria even had time to ponder just how strong the Reincarnated Lord that Yanta encountered was, as it sent Yanta back the very first second he appeared. If it weren't for the hunting insurance provided by the cat, Yanta would probably have been bedridden for months.

　The young girl lay lazily on a boulder by the river. The growing pains and the tingling sensation from her scales caused by molting had completely disappeared. After molting, her tail had become a forked tail shell similar to the tip of a serpent dragon's tail, but it was actually more like a cross. If it were named like the Hunter's Guild, it would probably be called the Cross-blade Tail.

　The cool water was cut off by the girl's cross-shaped tail as it passed by her, and then merged back into a stream behind her tail. However, the direction of the flow would occasionally change due to the girl's swaying tail. From underwater, the girl's cross-shaped tail looked more like an unlucky insect that had accidentally fallen into the water and was struggling desperately.

　The little girl appeared to be sleeping with her eyes half-closed, but she was actually paying attention to the changes in the river. Soon, a school of mudfish that swam by noticed this tempting prey. Then, a bold mudfish bravely swam towards the little girl's tail. However, just as the mudfish bit the little girl's tail, the little girl quickly swung her tail and pulled the mudfish out of the water.

　After tossing the mudfish onto her head, the little girl flicked her tail and instantly severed its head. With a flick of her tail, she knocked the mudfish's head aside, then caught the falling body in her mouth and slowly began to chew. Following the fallen head, one could see...

　A pile of fish heads has already been stacked up.

　Among them were not only mud pig fish, but also sky fish and forkfish, and even a giant pepper pancake fish. It was called pepper pancake fish because the fish really looked like a pepper pancake. Of course, the young girl did not always use this passive fishing method. For example, she caught sky fish and forkfish that were slightly smaller than mud pig fish.

　These two types of fish generally live in groups in shallow waters. As the bottom of the food chain, the skyfish uses its bright, sun-like patterns to warn potential predators, which is where its name comes from. However, in reality, these warning patterns do not have a significant warning effect on ordinary predators.

　The name "forkfish" comes from the fact that its snout resembles a fork used for eating. Normally, these two types of fish have no ability to fight back against enemies, but when the forkfish and the skyfish are combined, they become a shield and a spear. Facing their previous predators, the forkfish and the skyfish, who were previously powerless, now have a fighting chance.

　Thus, the two fish, who had formed a symbiotic relationship, lived together. However, today, this pair encountered an insurmountable opponent: the invincible little girl. In addition to fishing with her tail, the little girl would also slam her tail against the water's surface when schools of fish passed through the area. The dizziness caused by the vibration of the water waves would stun the fish and make them float to the surface.

　The little girl used her tail to gather the stunned fish together and then ate the fresh fish bite by bite. There weren't many bones in the tilapia and forkfish, but even if there were many bones, the little girl would eat them all, since no bone could be harder than the little girl's teeth.

　Compared to the tilapia and the spearfish, the mudfish, which looked a bit dirty, didn't seem very tasty. However, as it turns out, appearances can be deceiving, and you can't judge a book by its cover. The mudfish tasted delicious, which led to its body quickly disappearing into the little girl's mouth, leaving only a broken tail and large scales. After spitting out the unpalatable stuff, the little girl stuck her tail back into the river and continued her fishing.

　Before the little girl could even fill her stomach with fish, she suddenly felt the bright sky in front of her darken. Was it going to rain? Puzzled, the little girl climbed up from the rock and realized that what was blocking the sunlight was not dark clouds, but her sister Lan. Lan had come to inform the little girl that Melalu had prepared lunch and that it was time to go back.

　Today's meal is spicy braised sea dragon and assorted dragon meat fried rice. Despite the word "rice" in the name, assorted dragon meat fried rice is not fried rice at all. It is a stir-fry made of sea dragon meat, earth dragon meat, and mudfish dragon meat. Most of it is finely chopped meat scraps cut from the bones by the Meralu people. It would be a waste to throw it away, so we made dragon meat fried rice. However, the preparation method is almost the same as fried rice.

　Furthermore, it contains a lot of fish and shrimp, which greatly enhances the texture and flavor of the fried rice. Only this kind of fried rice can avoid being rejected by young girls.

　"Ah~ Ooh~" The little girl rushed to the dining table in a few steps, grabbed the spoon next to her and stuffed the dragon meat fried rice into her mouth in big mouthfuls. At the same time, she reached out her little hand to grab the big chunk of stewed sea dragon meat next to her and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it with smacking sounds. Sometimes, when she ate too fast, she would even mix the meat soup with the fried rice and then pour it directly into her mouth.

　This is mainly because the molting process almost completely depletes the energy stored in the young girl. Moreover, the refreshing feeling after molting also makes the young girl have a big appetite. Lanmei even felt sorry for the dead sea dragon, sand dragon, and mudfish dragon. You see, why did they have to meet the young girl during the molting period and become her meal?

　The warm stewed meat and fried rice with a 100% meat content not only warmed the little girl's stomach but also provided her with a lot of energy. Inspired by the little girl's ravenous eating, Lanmei even ate two more bowls of rice. The little girl quickly finished off the three dragons in front of her all by herself. The little girl patted her little belly with satisfaction, turned around, found a comfortable place to lie down, and began to pant heavily.

　Unlike when she was a kitten, each molt now consumes a lot of the young girl's physical strength and energy. After each molt, the platinum scales and bright silver blade scales on the young girl's body become harder, the deep purple claws become sharper with each molt, and the tail gradually changes its shape during the molting process.

　Perhaps it was because she had eaten two extra bowls of fried rice, or perhaps it was because she saw the little girl sleeping so soundly in her arms, Lanmei couldn't help but yawn. The little girl had chosen a very nice spot, which looked like a small tent made by branches that had been broken by the rain and snow. Lanmei looked around at the surroundings, then held the little girl in her arms and lay down.

　When the little girl woke up again, the sun had already set in another direction. After snuggling in Lanmei's arms a few times, the little girl quickly got up. Lanmei was also awakened by the little girl's actions. Surprisingly, the little girl did not run away from Lanmei but sat down next to her and looked at the towering mountain peak. Lanmei also took the opportunity to hold the little girl in her arms and look in that direction.

　Although Lanmei was curious as to why the little girl was looking in that direction, the little girl was simply daydreaming; she just thought the clouds over there were beautiful.

　She looked in that direction, and soon, the little girl, tired of looking at it, squatted down and escaped from Lanmei's embrace. The feeling of warmth gradually escaping from her arms made Lanmei want to stand up and grab the little girl, but she quickly restrained herself.

　Anyway, there will be plenty of opportunities tonight.

　Thinking this way, the lingering reluctance in her heart was quickly abandoned. Lanmei walked briskly behind the little girl. Although the place where the little girl shed her skin was in a desert, it was actually the boundary between the desert and the dense forest. Standing on the river at the boundary, one could clearly see the scene of the yellow and green earth meeting.

　A clear river carves a wide lake across the yellow earth before flowing randomly into the green land. This is the first time the little girl has come to this place. She found this place because of her molting problem. Seeing this scenery, Lanmei has to admit that the place the little girl found is very nice.

　Because the clothes worn by the young girl and Lanmei were made from their own scales, they didn't need to take off their clothes or wear swimming rings when they went swimming. The young girl shouted and took short steps towards the lake not far away, and then "plop" she plunged directly into the lake water. However, it wasn't just the fish that were frightened by the young girl.

　Water Fortress Dragon, one of the earliest confirmed flying wyvern monsters by the Mejepoltan Guild, is, as its name suggests, a monster that is best known for using its massive body to store water resources and using these resources for hunting.

　According to the research and speculation of scholars in Mejpoldan, Water Fortress Dragon may be the ancestor of Armored Dragon. Water Fortress Dragon seems to be a species that has lived in the desert since ancient times. Of course, some scholars also believe that the posture of Water Fortress Dragon has never changed and has lived to the present day.

　Scholars have further hypotheses to support this theory: that there were many oases in the desert of the ancient Seventeenth Era, and water resources were naturally abundant. Before the Water Fortress Dragons underwent such changes, their ancestors also lived in oases, but a sudden drought shattered everything.