Chapter 45 Southern Flames of War
Tancred's face lit up with joy when he heard that. His emotions like a roller coaster.
A few minutes later, Brian performed the dragonline transformation process on six Ogres, including Tancred, who stood nine feet tall, while the others were around seven to eight feet tall, the giants of the Bonecrusher Tribe.
Brian was curious to see what dragonline Ogres looked like.
However, the effects of dragonline transformation would not appear immediately. The Ogres were now drowsy and would need to slumber like dragons. Only after awakening would they truly become Dragonline Creatures.
Without further delay, Brian flapped his Dragon Wings after giving some instructions, creating a gust of wind, and disappeared into the night sky.
After flying through the starry night sky for a while, Brian returned to his icy domain.
The Ice River Tribe, now lacking one Arctic Ice Spirit, remained unchanged, as the remaining spirits showed no concern for the one that Brian had taken.
Willing to serve a dragon, they were mentally prepared for many things. Brian, as their Lord, was actually quite merciful; at least he didn't randomly abuse or kill his subordinates for fun.
The term "subordinate" sounded nice, but it was just another word for servant. Brian controlled their lives.
Coincidentally, a Hunting Team led by an Arctic Ice Spirit, accompanied by Terror Lizards and White Hounds, had just returned with their successful hunt.
Three massive Giant Hoof Yaks, marked with frost and fireball scars but still hanging onto life, were reverently offered to Brian by the team. Some of the White Hounds whimpered and nuzzled against Brian's Dragon Claws affectionately.
White Hounds, with their ice-blue fur interspersed with black spots, looked round and plump but were not cute. They had a terrifyingly large mouth with sharp teeth that were capable of powerful bites.
In addition, White Hounds could breathe Cold Wind, possessing a pseudo-magical ability, making them slightly weaker than Terror Lizards but more numerous.
A litter could have four or five pups, and they bred frequently. In just over two months, the number of White Hounds in the ice territory had grown from over fifty to more than a hundred, becoming the main force of the Hunting Team.
These Magical Creatures, common in the extreme northern ice field and a nightmare for many ordinary beasts, were as docile as pets before Brian.
Carefully using his Dragon Claws to scratch the upturned bellies of the White Hounds, watching them pant with their tongues out, Brian tore off a piece of Giant Hoof Yak meat and tossed it to them.
When stroking the smooth fur of the White Hounds, Brian had to be careful not to accidentally disembowel them.
"Go eat."
The White Hounds wagged their tails eagerly and hastened to devour Brian's gift.
Brian used his Frost Breath to freeze one Giant Hoof Yak in Ice Crystals, then devoured the other two whole before chewing through the Ice Crystals and swallowing the frozen meat and bones together.
This was one of his preferred eating methods.
In the past, these three Giant Hoof Yaks would have satisfied Brian's hunger.
However, his body was now lacking the energy and nutrients required for rest. It felt as though he hadn't consumed anything and still yearned for food.
With the other Hunting Teams yet to return, Brian needed to figure out how to obtain the remaining nutrients on his own.
He folded his Dragon Wings and dove into the flowing ice river with a splash. The once serene Winding Ice River instantly turned turbulent, with dark currents swirling.
A white shadow wreaked havoc beneath the surface, pursuing the river's indigenous inhabitants: groups of Ice River Sharks measuring six to nine feet in length.
In Brian's relentless hunt, the poor little sharks stood no chance.
One by one, the delicious Ice River Sharks were swallowed, and Brian's drowsiness grew stronger.
As time went by, the river continued to churn with numerous crystalline splashes reaching the shore, catching the attention of some curious Arctic Ice Spirits.
An hour later, the once raging river finally subsided, now tinged with a faint reddish hue and a subtle hint of blood. Brian swallowed the last of the sharks, feeling a twinge of regret. These Ice River Sharks were scarce but delectable.
He had planned to conserve them for sustainable use, but today they were on the brink of extinction.
Had he not grown more drowsy after eating a few Giant Hoof Yaks and didn't want to risk hunting other Magical Creatures, he wouldn't have eaten the Ice River Sharks.
With a slight sense of guilt, Brian thought he might help the sharks in the future if he had the chance.
Before he could overthink the situation, a wave of drowsiness swept over Brian like a tide.
He realized it was time to sleep.
Moving his body with the agility of a fish, Brian quickly entered his riverbed Dragon's Lair.
‘Hopefully, this rest will bestow upon me new temporal abilities...’
Embracing the broken armor and rusty sword, Brian laid down on the icy bed, closed his eyes, and drifted into a deep slumber.
...
As Brian rested and underwent growth in his Dragon's Lair, far to the south, several hundred kilometers away, lay a magnificent city.
Across steep ridges, through dark and dense forests, and over the rolling Desperate Mountains, this city existed in an environment without polar day or night, currently illuminated by daylight. The sunlight cast a golden hue over the splendid capital, making it appear enchantingly beautiful on any other day.
The Tulip Banner of the Walker Principality fluttered in the sunlight.
But today was different.
The grand capital lay in ruins, with the sounds of wailing and agony echoing constantly. Elite soldiers, donning exquisite steel armor, riding towering warhorses, and wielding top-notch weapons, marched through the debris and flames, mercilessly slaying the citizens with their swords.
Blood splattered on the ground, trampled by iron riders,forming grotesque and eerie patterns.
Despite the sunny weather, Walker Principality where ravaged by war, felt like a dark inferno with none of its citizens feeling warm or comfortable.
The invaders came from further south, from Mocha Principality.
The Walker Principality and Mocha Principality were both part of the Emo Kingdom, governed by the Tulip Grand Duke and the Thorn Grand Duke, respectively.
As the Emo Kingdom declined like a dying whale, drawing in predators, every part of its territory was covertly divided and openly up for sale. Its vassal principalities, with malicious intent, were eager to seize control of the crumbling kingdom.
After the legendary Mage of the Emo Kingdom reached the end of his life and passed away, certain principalities instigated war, clashing violently with those who remained loyal to the Emo Kingdom.
The originally peaceful southern Noah Continent was once again engulfed in flames of war due to the kingdom's weakness, gradually sweeping across the entire southern continent.
