Evolving by devouring from a young dragon

Gucci has seen dragons.

This is not just idle talk. In the continent of Ysera, although dragons are legendary top-tier beings, they are not truly extinct.

He had once accompanied the royal delegation of the Eberon Empire and seen from afar the wyvern mounts kept by the human magic empire, but they were degraded species that had lost their true dragon bloodline and shrunk several times in size.

Even so, the cold gleam of the scales and the deep roar of the dragon terrified him, and he lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to move.

Humans and dwarves are extremely powerful, firmly holding onto the continent's dominance, while the dragon race is loosely organized and completely lacks cohesion.

The most common creatures living in the material plane are the five-colored dragons and the metallic dragons.

However, the five-colored dragons are inherently cruel, and they often fight each other for territory and treasure, with infighting among their own kind being very common.

Metal dragons are relatively peaceful, but they always keep to themselves and never get involved in external conflicts, observing the battles and struggles between different races with a detached eye.

The dragon was torn apart and unable to gather its power.

Humans and dwarves used this opportunity to expand their territory, develop magical technology, forge military equipment, and gradually crush other races.

The once mighty dragons that dominated the continent slowly retreated into the deep mountains and remote places, gradually fading from the sight of all living beings.

Even so, dragons remain the continent's top fighting force, and no matter how powerful humans and dwarves become, they cannot truly eradicate the dragon race.

Even if one wanted to tame a real dragon, it would be impossible.

The dragon-shaped mounts he saw were all just sub-dragons.

Its size has shrunk, its strength is weak, and its bloodline is thin; it is not even on the same level as a true dragon.

Dragons are proud beings; how could they tolerate others riding on their heads?

Therefore, those dragon knights are just riding sub-dragons, which are offspring of true dragons and magical beasts, and can only be called pseudo-dragon knights.

At this moment, two other followers also caught up, carrying watermelons and panting heavily.

"Just now, that...that was...a dragon?"

Gucci nodded.

"Is he...sleeping?"

Gucci nodded again.

Gu Qi didn't turn around. He stared at the end of the mountain path, where the high platform was no longer visible, but he knew the dragon was still sleeping.

After a while, the henchman carrying the wooden box whispered, "Sir, let's go, don't... don't wait for him to wake up."

Another follower nodded quickly, and seeing this, Gu Qi also quickened his pace to leave.

After walking a dozen steps, the henchman carrying the wooden box caught up and asked, "Sir, will that dragon... eat us?"

Guqi turned around and looked at the dragon as if he were an idiot. "If he wants to eat, we won't be able to leave the camp at all."

The henchman gave an awkward smile and said nothing more.

After walking a while longer, the henchman carrying the watermelons whispered, "Sir, those goblins who sank into the basin, aren't they just servants to dragons? Why are you...why are you being so polite to them?"

Gu Qi stopped and glanced at him.

Have you ever seen a dragon?

The follower was somewhat puzzled, but still shook his head.

Gucci put down the flour bag from his shoulder, leaned against a rock by the roadside, and took a breath.

He stared at the lackey, his eyes devoid of mockery, only displaying an indescribable complexity.

"Then I'll tell you what I saw today."

He held up one finger and pointed in the direction of the camp.

"You've seen those wyverns that squat on the city walls of the Human Magic Empire, haven't you? Three years ago, when we went to pay tribute with the delegation, you were at the back of the group and you were so scared that you peed your pants."

The follower blushed and lowered his head.

"Those sub-dragons, though called dragons, are actually just large winged lizards. Their bloodline is as thin as water, and they are no match for real dragons."

Gucci lowered his voice, as if afraid the wind would carry his words back.

"But it was different when I was lying on the other side of the platform."

He raised his hand and gestured.

"Didn't you see his scales? They're dark gold, each one like forged steel, the color only a pure-blooded dragon has."

His tail was thick, his claws sharp, and just by lying there, the air felt thick and sticky. Do you know why? It's because the earth knows he's lying on it, and it doesn't dare to move.

The two henchmen were stunned.

Seeing the two people's shocked expressions, Gu Qi nodded in satisfaction.

Even though it was his first time seeing a real dragon in person, it didn't stop him from describing the scene he had just witnessed in vivid and colorful detail.

"Do you know why Grimm can wear fine cotton clothes, drink honey water, and use a brass cane?"

Gu Qi looked at his follower beside him and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"It's not because Grimm himself is so capable, but because of his master, that pure-blooded dragon."

"If the dragon allows him to stand on a high platform, he can stand firmly; if the dragon bestows upon him a bite of food, he can drink honey water and eat fine grains; if the dragon's tail tip lightly touches him, he can manage a mine with thousands of people."

He paused, his voice lowering.

"You think being a servant is shameful? In the goblin race, being a servant to a true dragon is a blessing that can't be earned in several lifetimes. At the height of the Ancient Dakani Empire, goblin merchants knelt and begged the dragons to take them as servants, and even the dragons might not have thought much of them."

Those who can be kept by a dragon's side must be either extremely loyal, extremely capable, or both.

The henchman carrying the wooden box swallowed hard.

"But... he was just a servant after all..."

"What's wrong with the servant?" Gucci glanced at him sideways.

"Aren't you a servant in the southern tribes? You run errands when you're told to, you relay messages when you're told to, and you kneel when you're told to kneel."

You wear straw sandals and eat wild vegetable porridge all year round. You dare not talk back when the clan chief scolds you, and you dare not fight back when the steward beats you.

Who do you think you are? You're not a servant, you're even worse than a servant, a laborer.

The henchman turned pale.

Gucci didn't stop talking.

"Grimm is a servant, but he manages the mines, the workshops, and hundreds of orc soldiers."

He stomped his foot, and all the goblins in the mines knelt down. He spoke, and all the hammers in the workshops stopped. He slammed his cane into the ground, and even the orc captains had to listen to him. Who can you command in your own tribe?

"Can you command that lame goblin in the next shed to pour you a bowl of water?"

The henchman's head was bowed as low as it could possibly be.

Gucci nodded in satisfaction, bent down, and hoisted the flour bag back onto his shoulder.

"Don't look down on servants. In a place where goblin lives are worthless, being a servant to a real dragon is the greatest honor."

He turned around and continued walking. "I also want to be a servant like that, but unfortunately, no one wants me."

The two henchmen stood there, stunned.

One was carrying a wooden box, the other a watermelon; they looked at each other in bewilderment.

……

Grimm stood at the door of the cabin, watching Gucci's figure disappear at the end of the mountain path before turning his gaze away.

He turned and went into the inner room, closing the door behind him.

The inner room was dimly lit, with only a sliver of sunlight filtering through a small window. Grimm did not light a lamp. He walked to the wicker chair, sat down, leaned his cane against the side, took out the roll of parchment from his pocket, laid it on his lap, and slowly unrolled it.

The paper was edged with gold foil and sealed with a wax seal of the Eberron Empire, with a hand gripping a scepter engraved on the seal.

Grim stared at the mark, unable to look away for a long time.