Chapter 29 Walking on Ice
Cloud Mist Magic created a cloud that confused visual and sensory perception, blocking some magical detection abilities. It was a pseudo-magical ability that White Dragons could master in their adolescence, perfect for hiding one's breath and movements. Brian had grasped it while still a Newborn Dragon.
Of course, his current size was comparable to a typical adolescent White Dragon, perhaps even slightly larger.
Without dispelling the Cloud Mist Magic, Brian hovered above the Bonecrusher Tribe, observing the situation carefully.
After about ten minutes, he nodded slightly, confirming that the number of adult Ogres matched Tancred's description.
After some thought, he turned away, not heading straight back to the Ice River Territory. Instead, he centered the Bonecrusher Tribe, scouring back and forth within a twenty-mile radius.
He flew at a moderate pace, carefully surveying the various terrains of the Ice Field below with a keen eye.
He was looking for an optimal ambush location.
Dragons, despite their natural strength, didn't prefer direct confrontation. On the contrary, they favored sudden attacks such as swooping down from the sky or bursting from the ground.
Although they had scales and wings, many characteristics of dragons were more akin to felines rather than reptiles.
Time passed slowly. After about an hour and a half, Brian paused, a look of joy in his eyes. He folded his wings, dispelling the surrounding mist, and diving down.
Soon, he landed on a smooth ice surface, turning his neck to survey the surroundings.
He stood on an ice-covered lake, spanning several miles.
In the extreme northern Ice Field, such lakes like the one beneath his feet freeze easily due to the low temperatures. It was only during the brief warmest period of the year that the Ice Crystals melted, revealing the lake water.
This place was ideal for a White Dragon's ambush. With no recent snowstorms, the ground's snow wasn't thick enough to hide a dragon's body. Ogres disliked water, making an underwater ambush from beneath the ice the best option.
After landing on the ice, Brian carefully moved his body and was surprised to find that the ice could actually support his weight.
Initially, he thought the Ice Layer was strong enough, but he realized he was mistaken after moving and even running smoothly.
His ability to move freely on the ice relied on his dragon body.
Brian's claws exerted a unique force upon touching the ice, supporting his body, and the scales increased friction, even allowing him to move more swiftly and smoothly than on normal ground.
Walking on ice was a unique ability of White Dragons.
This special ability wasn't affected by magic or anti-magic zones. Brian's ice-walking stemmed from his unique body structure, like his super-distance vision and dark vision, rather than magical or supernatural powers.
After sliding and playing on the ice for a while, Brian flapped his wings and soared back to the Ice River Territory.
The round trip took several hours. If Ogre Tancred had intended to escape, he would have been long gone.
However, he saw the familiar tall figure as Brian looked down from above.
Tancred was sparring with the Arctic Ice Spirit Roy, shouting loudly and charging like a tank. The ground trembled with his movements, making quite a spectacle.
Roy's ice-crystal face showed a human-like apprehension.
He extended his hand, gathering elemental forces into a barrage of ice spikes, which were far stronger than the ice daggers he had shown Brian months ago.
Unfortunately, the dense ice spikes only made Tancred wince, leaving white marks on his rough, dark skin without causing real harm.
Ogre’s skin was so tough that Roy's ice spikes couldn't inflict significant damage.
Within seconds, Tancred reached the Arctic Ice Spirit, grabbing Roy and laughing heartily. "Little one, I win! You're far from defeating the future Bonecrusher Tribe Chief!"
Roy didn't understand the Giant Language but he could guess Tancred's meaning from his expression.
Though he lost, Roy was pleased with his growing strength as a Dragonline Creature.
If he saw an Ogre before, he wouldn't even have the guts to fight, only able to steer clear. But now he could at least put up a fight.
"Put me down. I admit defeat," Roy said.
The Ogre was incredibly strong and could lift things weighing several tons easily. When caught in his grip, Roy felt like he could be crushed into ice shards at any moment. Although the Arctic Ice Spirit wouldn't die when shattered before their magic was depleted, it was still an unpleasant experience overall.
Filled with pride, Tancred lifted his head high. Since he couldn't understand Common Language and didn't know what Roy was saying, he just kept laughing.
Just as Roy was about to gesture, his face lit up with joy and reverence, looking behind Tancred.
Tancred stiffened, seeing a shadow cast over him. He gently released Roy, mechanically turning his neck to look back.
"Lord True Dragon, you're back," Tancred said, forcing a smile on his ugly face. He was shocked to see the True Dragon's massive body descend without a sound.
Brian said expressionlessly, "You seem to get along well with my subordinate."
Tancred scratched his head, embarrassed. "The other Ogres in the tribe are too stupid. Your subordinates are as smart as me. I enjoy interacting with them."
Despite the language barrier, Tancred found the Arctic Ice Spirit easier to communicate with than his tribe.
He even considered learning the Common Language to communicate with other intelligent creatures.
Brian ignored the Ogre, turning to Roy. "You may not be a match for the Ogre now, but your strength has great potential. You will not be weaker than him in the future. Keep it up."
Roy's face filled with gratitude at the rare encouragement from a True Dragon.
Brian then grabbed Tancred's shoulder, his Dragon Wings flapping as he lifted the Ogre into the sky. Tancred's several-ton weight felt like a toy in the dragon's claws, trembling as he was swiftly carried aloft.
