Evil Red Dragon

Inside the stone house, Kula lay flat on the ground.

Alecto took out a crystal box, and the moment he lifted the lid, starlight flowed out.

"Starry Sand..."

Kula held her breath.

He had only heard of this precious magical material in ancient books.

Legend has it that Star Sand originates from the Starfall Desert. It is a crystal formed from fragments of fallen stars that have undergone thousands of years of wind erosion in extreme environments, containing pure stellar power.

It can not only enhance magical items, but also repair damaged souls and bodies, making it a core ingredient in many advanced healing potions.

Alecto then took out three level-five magic crystals and a level-five scroll of Life Praise.

Once everything was ready, he began to chant the dragon language in a low voice, and drops of dragon blood floated from his palm.

"...with stars as bones, dragon blood as veins, and the earth as flesh..."

As the chanting began, magic started to flow, and dragon blood gathered at the three severed limbs of Kula: her left shoulder, left leg, and right leg.

The light grew brighter and brighter.

"Ugh—!"

Kula clenched his teeth and let out a suppressed growl.

pain!

An indescribable, excruciating pain shot through the severed limb!

It felt as if countless ants were gnawing at his bones, or as if lava was flowing into his veins, burning every inch of his nerves.

But Kula dared not move an inch, and could only hold herself firmly in place, passively enduring the tearing pain.

Alecto did not stop.

He continued chanting while evenly sprinkling stardust on the three severed limbs.

The moment the sand grains touched her skin, they transformed into starlight and merged into Kula's body.

Kula's body began to tremble violently, and the flesh at the severed limb began to writhe and grow at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Pale bone fragments grow from the break, one inch, two inches... gradually extending into a complete skeletal outline. Blood vessels and nerves spread like a spider web on the surface of the new bone, weaving into a complex network of life. Layers of muscles and skin cover it, eventually forming a complete arm and legs.

The whole process lasted a full ten minutes.

When the last patch of skin had grown back, Kula was soaked through, her blood and sweat mingling and seeping into the ground beneath her.

He was panting heavily, his eyes filled with the dazed feeling of surviving a disaster.

But Alector knew that this was only the beginning.

Limb regeneration only repairs the physical damage; Kula's true trauma comes from his soul. The lightning of the Thunderwing Serpent not only destroyed his body but also eroded his soul.

"Concentrate."

"Feel the remaining thunderous power within you and guide it to gather in your chest."

Kula nodded with difficulty, closed her eyes, and began to introspect on her body.

Having been a shaman for decades, his self-awareness far surpasses that of ordinary people.

Soon, he saw those dark purple lightning bolts lurking in the gaps between his meridians and soul, constantly eroding his life force.

Kula tried to touch the electric lights.

hiss-

A stinging pain came from the soul level, but then starlight surged in, a cool breeze swept over, and the stinging pain disappeared instantly.

Kula gritted her teeth and persevered, guiding the electric light little by little towards her chest.

It's a slow process.

Every spark of electricity that is moved leaves a burning pain in the soul, a pain that is unbearable for ordinary people, even with the protection of the power of the stars.

Time passed second by second.

Kula's face grew paler and paler, but his will remained steadfast.

Finally, the last wisp of dark purple lightning was guided to his chest, condensing into a ball of lightning the size of a billiard ball.

"Now!"

A brilliant light shone in Alecto's eyes.

He loosely clenched his fists, aiming them at Kula's chest.

The majestic dragon's voice rang out once more, and a blinding red light suddenly burst forth from his palm.

A red light, like a cage, enveloped the lightning ball on Kula's chest, forcibly tearing it from her body!

"Ahhhhh—"

Kula let out a piercing scream.

The moment the lightning ball left the body, it felt as if countless red-hot iron hooks were forcibly pulled out from the depths of the soul.

His body convulsed violently, and blood oozed from all seven orifices.

But Alecto did not stop.

The red light grew brighter and brighter, and a ball of dark purple lightning slowly emerged from Kula's chest under its pull.

The instant the lightning ball completely detached from Kula's body, Alecto's left hand shot out like lightning, taking out a crystal bottle from his spatial bag.

"seal up!"

With a flick of his hands, the lightning ball was forcibly inserted into the crystal bottle.

The moment the bottle cap closed, electric light surged wildly inside the crystal bottle, producing a crackling sound, but it couldn't break through the seal.

Alecto quickly applied a seal to the surface of the bottle.

When the last stroke was completed, the lightning ball inside the bottle gradually calmed down, transforming into a slowly rotating ball of dark purple lightning.

Kula had already completely lost consciousness.

His breathing was so faint it was almost imperceptible, but the rise and fall of his chest proved he was still alive.

Alecto put away the crystal bottle and carefully examined Kula's condition.

Although the newborn limbs are slightly pale, the muscles are full and the meridians are unobstructed.

The trauma at the soul level still exists, but the corrosive lightning has been completely cleared away; all that remains is time for it to heal itself.

"Gru".

Alecto called out.

The door was gently pushed open, and Gru strode in. Seeing Kula's condition, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes:

"Master, Kula..."

"The limbs have regenerated, but the soul has been severely damaged and needs at least three months of rest."

As he spoke, Alecto tore open the scroll, and the healing power quickly seeped into Kula's newly grown limbs, accelerating cell growth and soothing the pain.

After observing for a moment and confirming that Kula was out of danger, Alecto turned to Gru and gave him instructions:

"He needs to rest and recuperate, and he should receive adequate nutrition during this time."

Gru nodded solemnly:

"Understood, I will personally oversee it."

Alecto nodded, turned and walked out of the stone house.

He spread his dragon wings and flew towards the dragon's nest, clutching a crystal bottle tightly in his hand, within which lightning swirled silently.

"Thunderwing Flying Python..."

A cold glint flashed in Alecto's dragon eyes.

With this wisp of residual lightning, he could cast tracking magic to pinpoint the beast's location.

When he finds the right school... that will be the time for reckoning.

Just one day later, Kula was able to try getting out of bed and walking. Although her newborn limbs were still a little stiff, she was able to move around in basic ways.

Every day, following Alecto's instructions, he used magic to unblock the meridians in his limbs, while also engaging in specific limb rehabilitation training.

The shamanic apprentices took turns caring for him, and Gru and Goron also visited him frequently.

The entire Chifeng Territory knows that Kula is recovering, which is good news for everyone.

Meanwhile, Natsu's kobolds finally made a breakthrough.

"Master! Master!"

Natsu stumbled and scrambled into the dragon's lair, clutching a fist-sized sample of ore, so excited he was incoherent:

"Found it! We found it! The main vein! It's rich in iron ore! The reserves are enormous! And it's accompanied by a large amount of copper ore!"

Alecto looked up from the pile of treasure and took the ore sample.

The stone is dark red, hard, and contains a significant amount of pure iron, making it a high-quality iron ore.

"Where was it found?"

"About 150 kilometers to the southwest, deep within a mountain crevice."

Natsu was panting heavily, his eyes filled with ecstasy:

"We dug for over ten days and finally found the main ore vein. Once we build the mine, we can extract at least ten tons of iron ore every day!"

Ten tons of this type of iron ore, after smelting, can yield at least three tons of pig iron.

This is a vital strategic resource for a developing territory.

With iron, we can forge weapons, craft tools, and build fortifications...

"Well done, Natsu."

Alecto said with satisfaction:

"You have proven your worth."

Natsu trembled and fell to his knees with a thud, his forehead pressed against the ground:

"This...this is all thanks to Master's protection! Natsu was just doing his duty!"

"Even fulfilling one's duty can be done well or poorly."

A drop of crimson dragon blood seeped from his chest:

"I said that as long as you find the vein, I will grant you dragon blood. Now, this is the reward you deserve."

Dragon blood dripped onto Natsu's forehead.

A temperature hotter than magma instantly spread throughout the body, as if every inch of skin was being burned and every bone was being smashed and reforged by a heavy hammer.

Natsu's teeth were clenched so hard they were grinding together, his canines were digging into his jaw, and his body was curled up in agony.

As a kobold warlock, it knew this was a necessary baptism.

The heat flowed down my forehead, and wherever it passed, my blood vessels felt a tearing, swelling sensation.

Its scales are falling off and reassembling, with thicker and harder new dragon scales emerging from under its skin.

The muscle fibers are forcibly torn and then quickly healed, each cycle bringing excruciating pain.

Its consciousness was blurred by pain, but deep within, an unprecedented fervor sustained it.

The blood of the true dragon is flowing into its body; this is the highest blessing in the heritage of the kobold race!

"For the Dragon Lord...for the race..."

Natsu roared inwardly, using his remaining sanity to fight against the excruciating pain.

After an unknown amount of time, the pain gradually subsided, replaced by a surging sense of power.

His body swelled to two meters, and his muscle lines became more defined.

Its reddish-brown scales became thicker and gleamed with a metallic sheen.

His originally cloudy pupils were now tinged with a light red, and deep within them, dragon flames flickered faintly.

As the last drop of dragon blood was absorbed, Natsu slowly opened his eyes.

"It feels...so strange..."

He looked down at his hands; the tips of his claws, now covered in newly grown scales, appeared even sharper, and his sense of the earth had become incredibly clear.

"Is this the power of the Dragonborn?"

Alecto gently corrected him:

"Not only that, the dragon blood has also increased your magic power limit. You are now a level three sorcerer. Make good use of this reward."

Natsu trembled with excitement and prostrated himself on the ground:

"Thank you, Master! Natsu swears to lead his people to mine more ore, forge the sharpest weapons, and build the strongest fortress!"

At this moment, he has completely shed his former confusion and narrow-mindedness.

The dragon's blood not only transformed his body, but also reshaped his will.

From this day forward, his life will burn solely in service to Alexios. This marks the beginning of Natsu's transformation from kobold sorcerer to dragonborn sorcerer.

"Let's build a mine."

Alecto waved his paw:

"I want to see the first batch of pig iron within a month."

"yes!"

Natsu withdrew respectfully, his steps much lighter than when he arrived.

Becoming a Dragonborn is the glory that all kobolds dream of.

Now, he has achieved it.

Alecto, meanwhile, lay back down on the pile of treasure and began planning his next move.

"Now that we've found an iron ore mine, once Kula fully recovers, we can start building a proper town, and we can also try the third corridor..."

Just then, Oliveira flew excitedly into the dragon's lair, carrying a flask in her claws filled with bubbling green liquid:

"Brother! Brother! Look! I did it! I made my first healing potion! Odette said this potion has a standard level two effect!"

"Did you make this?"

Alecto raised an eyebrow.

Oliveira proudly raised her chin:

"Odette only taught me the recipe and steps; I did all the actual work myself!"

Alecto glanced at the bottle of bright green liquid, then at Oliveira's face, which was practically praising him, and surprisingly refrained from discouraging her:

"Hmm, not bad, keep up the good work."

"this one?"

Oliveira curled her lip, her eyes beginning to dart towards the pile of treasure:

"Um... what about the reward you promised, brother? Odeta said that as long as I can consistently make level 3 healing potions, she'll teach me how to make mana restoration potions, which can sell for a lot of gold coins!"

Her meaning couldn't be clearer: gold coins! Gold coins! And more gold coins!

Alecto had already seen through her thoughts, and lazily said:

"It's not that I don't want to give it to you, but this healing potion is only level two, and the reward is only one hundred gold coins."

"Only one hundred?"

Oliveira was clearly dissatisfied:

"I'm having a really tough time!"

"Approximately what is the material cost per bottle of your medicine? How much of your product is waste?"

Alecto mercilessly exposed them:

"One hundred gold coins is already a lot."

Oliveira pouted, but didn't dare to argue.

She knew her brother was telling the truth.

Alchemy has a high failure rate, especially for beginners.

The wasted materials alone are worth a lot of money.

Alecto continued his deception:

"Besides, this reward is a one-time thing. If you take it now, you won't get it again. Why don't you keep it with me? When you can make level 5 potions, I'll give you 10,000 gold coins."

"Ten thousand gold coins!"

Oliveira's eyes immediately lit up like stars:

"It's a deal, I'll go back and continue practicing!"

Clutching the flask, she flew away again in a flurry of activity.

Alecto shook his head and closed his eyes again.

This person's IQ needs improvement, but it's also good that it saves them trouble...

Naz's efficiency was even higher than Alekto had expected.

On the very day he became a dragonborn warlock, he led the kobolds to begin preliminary mining operations at the discovered vein.

Dog-headed people are born to be excellent miners.

Their small bodies moved nimbly through the narrow mine tunnels, and their sharp claws could easily dig through hard rocks.

Under Natsu's command, they dug out the first batch of iron ore from deep within the mountain.

"Hurry up! The Dragon Lord is waiting for our results!"

Natsu stood on high ground, urging his people on with a roar in the dragon language.

After becoming a dragonborn, he not only gained a clearer sense of the earth's pulse, but also a vague ability to determine the location of mineral veins.

This is a unique talent of kobold warlocks, which becomes even more acute and accurate after being transformed into a dragonborn.

An old kobold, shakily dragging a half-basket of ore, tripped and fell as he passed Natsu, scattering the ore all over the ground.

"waste!"

Natsu angrily rebuked:

"...Pick it up and get back to work!"

What the Dragon Lord needs is output and efficiency.

Natsu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

I must do better... I can't let my master down...

He silently recited the words to himself, then turned and walked deeper into the mine tunnel to dig himself.

The dragon's blood brings not only power, but also an obsessive responsibility; he must prove himself worthy of this gift.

The temporary smelting area of ​​Chifeng Territory was set up on an open space next to the mine.

The area is close to a stream, making it easy to get water, and the surrounding trees have been cleared away.

Gru and ten trolls are building a makeshift furnace.

"Goron, is the charcoal ready?"

"Gru asked."

"That's about it."

Lag pointed to the mountain of timber piled up not far away:

"The trees we cut down in two days are enough to burn for a while."

Rag's feelings were complicated.

He looked at the busy trolls and the kobolds that could be vaguely seen in the distance, feeling both envious and anxious.

Natsu received a reward for finding the mineral vein, but what about himself?

As one of the earliest dragon descendants, he and his clansmen have been following their master for more than two years, but they have yet to break through to level five.

I have to do something...

Rag clenched his fist.

He knew that Alecto's attitude toward his family was very clear.

The greater the contribution, the greater the reward.

Gru earned dragon blood for his loyalty and military achievements, Kula was given important positions for his wisdom, and now even the newly arrived kobolds have joined forces with him.

But what exactly should be done?