Chapter 27: The Giant’s Tomb

  After leveling up, Cassius leapt down the shadowed cliff, hoping to salvage some spoils from the Bluefoot Drakesnake.

  But as he reached the bottom and looked around,

  He suddenly realized things were far from simple.

  Scattered across the ground with the Drakesnake’s corpse were other massive, a bones.

  Each skeleton was over teers long, and from their grim, snake-like skulls and elongated spines, he could tell these remains beloo Bluefoot Drakesnakes.

  There were hundreds of them.

  The massive bones covered the entire ground at the base of the cliff, f a spectacur road of white bones, making the Drakesnake’s body blend almost unnoticed among them.

  Hundreds of Bluefoot Drakesnakes.

  What kind of cept was this?

  Just one Bluefoot Drakesnake had pushed the red dragon to his limits to barely cim victory.

  Ten Drakesnakes swarming together, with their powerful lightning, would reduce the red dragon to charred remains.

  And what about hundreds?

  No exaggeration, such a force could easily wipe out aire human kingdom.

  "These bones… some must be thousands of years old, almost turning to dust."

  "What is this pce?"

  Cassius felt a chill run down his spine, exhaling a breath of sulfur-den air.

  Now, he ighe Drakesnake’s corpse, wanting only to uhe secret of this terrifying bone road.

  "ch."

  His cws pressed down on the a skeletons, produg brittle sounds.

  The red dragon treaded lightly on this road of bones, stepping slowly into the depths of darkness.

  The cliffs oher side rose steeply, almost vertical.

  He walked for a long time.

  At the end of the path stood a massive stone door.

  Thick stone pilrs f, carved with inscriptions.

  The door bore simple carvings with a primal design, not intricate but exuding a sense of raw power and wildness, barely depig ahin a storm.

  "Stiants?"

  Cassius murmured to himself.

  The a empire of giants had spanned vast distances, with Stiants holding the highest rank among them.

  Few in hese Stiants lived ie, hidden ers of the world, reminisg about their lost glory, known as reclusive and ptive sages.

  He carefully examihe inscriptions on the pilrs.

  "A Giant Script."

  The red dragon didn’t reize this a nguage; it likely perished with the fall of the giant empire.

  But a translut blue panel quietly appeared.

  [The wisdom of the sorcerer lets you trace baore a knowledge.]

  [The writing before you stirs memories from the depths of your bloodline.]

  [The memory of the long, unending war between dragons and giants, etched deeply within your veins, flowing through every vessel in your body.]

  Cassius felt a wave of dizziness, falling into a trance.

  He saw a terrifying army ons, with wings so numerous they darkehe skies.

  Giants stood in formation, their massive bodies dominating the horizon.

  The two sides cshed, shaking the heavens ah.

  It rimal, brutal frontation.

  Stiants hurled devastating lightning, Cloud Giants summoned rolling clouds, and Stone Giants hefted mountain-sized boulders.

  [You have gained valuable knowledge from the aimes.]

  [Skill Proficies gained: 【A Draic +4】, 【A Giant +2】]

  When the red dragon awoke, his mind was filled with newfound knowledge.

  Cassius read the words inscribed on the pilrs aloud:

  "I searched for the great relics, reg the remnants lost with the fall of our empire.

  In the end, I discovered that the gods abandoned us.

  I withe rise and fall of royalty, the triumph a of wars, and grew weary of the endless battles between good and evil.

  So, I desded from the skies, sinking into the deep abyss, with the ons of old guarding my gate.

  Mortal traveler from afar, approach humbly.

  Do not disturb my rest.

  Or else the eiant shall bring forth utter destru.

  This is my final prophecy as a sage.

  —Stiant Elder Randta, resting here eternally."

  Finishing the inscription—or rather, the epitaph—

  Cassius’s breathing quied, and he exhaled another cloud of sulfurous smoke.

  "This is a tomb of a Stiant, and those Bluefoot Drakesnakes were merely its guards."

  "How… extravagant."

  "Meaning, this tomb may tain immensely valuable treasures."

  Deep within his bloodliiamat’s greed urged him repeatedly to open this stone door.

  "But the epitaph prophesies that he’ll bring forth utter destru."

  "Best to be cautious."

  Cassius was not a pure-blooded red dragon with only brawn in his head; reason took prece.

  But this didn’t mean he would abandon expl the tomb; rather, he po "py it safe" until he fully recovered and prepared before proceeding further.

  So, the red dragon temporarily settled down here.

  Yes, he settled down.

  Cassius returo the spot where he had fought the Drakesnake, intending to devour its broken body.

  The Drakesnake’s strength was immense, making its flesh especially chewy with a slight electrigle—a result of the magical energy infused in its body.

  "Tastes like the spicy hot pot I had in my previous life."

  Cassius mumbled betweees.

  This was the highest praise the red dragon had given any food in this world so far.

  Dragons could easily digest half their body weight i each day, verting the food into elemental energy for future use.

  This stored energy would be used for his breath on and his many growth spurts throughout his life.

  Thus, the red drago his time eating Drakesnake meat, studying the inscriptions, and occasionally dozing atop the bone piles.

  Days passed this way.

  Cave sgers hid within crevices at the cave’s ceiling.

  These giant worm-like creatures, blue-b color, blended seamlessly with the background.

  They waited silently in the cave.

  When prey hey would rise, spread their four hooked tentacles, and expose a snapping, hungry maw.

  Yet, as one of them y still, awaiting prey, a massive, gaping mouth suddenly appeared, yanking it from the cave whole.

  The worm's soft, rubbery body struggled for a moment before being shoved into Cassius’s powerful jaws.

  "Tastes like chi, nid chy."

  Cassius remarked as he chewed oough flesh.

  What was a terrifying monster for ordinary adventurers was merely a snack for the red dragon.

  Now, Cassius’s scales were vibrant and glossy, all his wounds healed, his energy replenished, and his spells fully restored.

  "It’s time to see this so-called ‘destru.’"

  Cassius mused to himself while tinuing to mun the cave sger.

  In his past life’s memories, someone had oained legendary-level equipment from a cave in the northern nds—this might be that fabled location.

  After killing the Bluefoot Drakesnake, he felt as if he had triggered something, sensing a force brewing that might destroy this ppletely. Missing this rare opportunity was out of the question.

  For a young dragon like him, surrounded by powerful enemies, such a signifit power boost was a rare deed.

  "Time to risk it all—turn the bicycle into a motorcycle."

  Cassius, feeling the energy c through his restored body and spell reserves, steeled himself with this thought.