Chapter 62: Awakening (Part Three)

  The bounty on the red dragon has risen to ten thousand gold s. This amount would be a fortune in the Northern Kingdoms, let alone in the prosperous Floran Empire in the South or the wealthy port of Victoria by Moon Bay—especially for these poor adventurers.

  Such a sum is enough for a fledgling mage to build their own Mage Tower, or for a warrior to purchase a set of magic equipment that could be passed down feions.

  Perhaps due to deliberate propaganda by the La family, Embers has been portrayed as a dangerous yet wealthy realm.

  Rumors say that within the Giant’s Valley lies the treasure of a greedy red dragon, with endless streams of gold p from the valley. While no oruly believes such exaggerated tales from bards, it still leaves adventurers with the illusion that Embers is a “symbol of wealth.”

  This allure has drawn tless adventurers, setting off from cities across the North, full of ambition ahusiasm as they head for Storm Highnds, though most of them never return.

  Of course, these adventurers aren’t all overfident fools; some e well-prepared—like the twenty-member adventurer group currently hiding behind a rock.

  But now, they’ve cealed themselves beyond normal sight.

  "Invisibility potions—all downed?"

  "Yes."

  "And the st-masking potions too; put them on."

  "Dragons use their forked too taste the air, and their sense of smell is unbelievably keen. Stay alert."

  The speaker was a mage in his twenties, dressed in a purple robe, holding a hollow wooden staff, his expression slightly tense.

  His name was Be, a minor noble from Victoria Port, who had assembled ae merary team from various pces, arriving here after months of preparation.

  Acc to intelligence from Northwind Fortress, the dragon had been sleeping for a long time.

  "Be, you might be too nervous. It’s just a young dragon, possibly even smaller. So what if it’s a red dragon?"

  "We’ve iigated survivors."

  "And your divination spells also firmed that the information was correct."

  "Even if they were shaking with fear, haha, just look at those cowards—terrified by a young dragon."

  A brawny warrior with scars c his face ughed.

  His name was Ivan, a seasoned warrior from the Floran Empire, who had once killed an adult green dragon with a thirty-man party, making him enthusiastic about dragon-sying.

  A rogue in a bck cloak, his face hidden, spoke:

  "Around seven to eight meters in size, a breath attack with precision targeting; aside from some exaggerations, there doesn’t seem to be anything particurly special."

  His name was Vi, a member of a thieves’ guild.

  Ivan ughed heartily, "So much time has passed, and this dragon hasn’t beeed. The only reason is that the Northerners are too weak; they ’t even hahose white beasts, let alone a red dragon."

  "But we’re different. I am a dragonsyer."

  Be scolded, "Damn it, Ivan, put aside your bravado. Even a young red dragon isn’t easy to deal with."

  "Moreover… it’s established a powerful force."

  "oal this time is to sneak in and kill the sleeping dragon, then take all the treasures from its hoard. Uand? If there’s no good ce, don’t bother with the dragon—head straight for the hoard."

  Ivan scoffed at this:

  "Hmph, sneaking around like thieves in the shadows. I didn’t sneak when I slew dragons."

  Vi, usually silent, couldn’t help but retort:

  "Shut your mouth, stihan a goblin’s."

  Ivan gred, ready tue, but Be quickly intervened.

  "Shh—quiet."

  He pointed ahead, where a patrol of hobgoblins was returning.

  Be whispered, "Follow them; they should lead us to Giant’s Valley."

  "Damn, these hobgoblins are huge, dragon-like, even wearing armor. These must be the ‘dragon’s cws’ the Northerners mentioned."

  "Everyoay hidden and follow them—no direct frontation."

  The adverailed the hobgoblin patrol, moving closer until they could see the Rock Fortress in the valley.

  They hid behind an outcrop on a hillside, the fortified walls: numerous hobgoblins standing guard, with catapults, giant crossbows, and high watchtowers nearby, and wyverns patrolling the sky.

  "By Karnas, this is practically a fortress."

  Ivan couldn’t help but excim.

  He had seen far more imposing walls in the Empire, but he never expected such fortifications at a monster’s ir.

  "No, this *is* a fortress."

  "There must be humans colborating with them; otherwise, these monsters couldn’t possibly have these things."

  The usually taciturn padin, Tristan, observed the armored hobgoblins, his brow furrowed as if lost in thought.

  Be gazed at the fortress, his mood plicated.

  On the one hand, it meant this pce was indeed rich, with a substantial hoard. But oher hand, esg safely was now a .

  After a moment of thought, he spoke:

  "You all see it now; these dragon followers aren’t just on goblins. If we ehem directly, it’ll be hard to get away, so we have to sneak in—no direbat."

  "Roar—"

  His words were cut short by a distant roar.

  "A dragon’s roar?"

  "Could it be… it woke up?"

  Be’s heartbeat quied; after months of preparation and thousands of gold spent, this was a high-stakes gamble. He couldn’t let it end here in failure.

  Ivan, though intimidated by the fortress, kept walking forward, saying:

  "What’s there to fear? Just a young dragon. We just o lure it out of its ir…"

  "Crack."

  He stepped on the ground ahead, where intricate runes suddenly lit up, and fmes erupted.

  "Oh no, it’s a guard inscription!"

  "Get back!"

  Be quickly raised his staff, casting a pre-prepared spell.

  "Prote from Energy Damage!"

  A thin, translut membrane appeared around them, barely shielding them from the oning fmes, though Ivan’s lead foot was scorched bck, elig a groan of pain.

  Wiping the sweat from his brow, Be muttered:

  "Damn it, how is there such a spell here?"

  FAL