Chapter 507: She Sure Can Run

Leech led his party forward slowly. His main objective was finding a suitable location for a teleportation anchor, and he would search for traces of the Black Dragon’s fragments along the way.

He didn’t hold out much hope of finding the “Black Dragon fragments” anytime soon, but he had no intention of giving up. He’d already decided that digging three feet deep would be the bare minimum.

If necessary, he could dig six feet deep.

According to the Brass Dragon, Giant Dragons were natural-born legendary creatures. Although very weak at birth—likely unable to defeat a strong beast—they would slowly grow into legends given enough time. When they became old enough, they could even become the most outstanding among them.

The reason for this slow growth was their incredibly long lifespans. They were said to live for one or two thousand years with ease. Just imagine that! One or two thousand years—that would trace all the way back to before the last Magic Tide had even receded.

Take Green Forest Castle and its Grand Library, for example. The most detailed historical records only began after the Golden Bears rose to power. The few hundred years before that were extremely vague, consisting of little more than apocryphal tales that seemed completely fabricated. A thousand years ago? You wouldn’t look in history books for that. You’d have to turn to religion—to the scriptures and hymnals clutched by Priests. They recorded the lives of saints. Some religions were fond of incorporating powerful, heroic figures from folklore into their own systems, giving them new titles. It wasn’t uncommon for several religions to lay claim to the same figure, forcing a historical hero to moonlight in multiple roles, working for everyone.

If you were to discard the parts about gods, what remained would be an unreliable, ambiguous “history” that was almost entirely fabricated, save for a few names and places.

Furthermore, Giant Dragons didn’t need to study. Dragon Language Magic took root in their minds, manifesting naturally.

It was similar to Leech’s earlier guess about the bloodline inheritance of a Mage—though, of course, it was a more advanced and superior method.

The difference between a Mage and a Caster was that Mages relied on their innate abilities. Their advantage was that their power was guaranteed upon awakening, but they couldn’t—and didn’t need to—learn anything new. Casters, on the other hand, could learn any Magic in the world, provided they were intelligent enough.

After being turned into a Corpse Ghost, a Giant Dragon would certainly lose its biological ability to “grow,” but its memories would undoubtedly remain.

Leech coveted the Magic inside its head.

He had almost no useful Magic at his disposal right now, just a few petty cantrips. It was honestly faster and more convenient to just grab a sword and charge in. He’d heard that black dragons were unparalleled in their corrosive abilities. If he could use that to improve the soil over a large area, perhaps his project to plant trees in the desert could move forward.

His goal was to feed everyone in his domain using as little arable land as possible, thereby eliminating the need for food imports.

A roar suddenly echoed from the distance.

A group of tall, clumsy monsters appeared in Leech’s line of sight. They were about the same size as a nine-foot-tall Half-Beastman and were covered in green scales, moss, and exposed, wrinkled skin.

Yet they were even uglier than Half-Beastmen. Half-Beastmen at least had a humanoid form and used weapons. The only thing these monsters had in common with humans was that they both stood on two legs.

He also noticed a large clump of earth on one monster’s shoulder with a small tree growing out of it, as if the tree’s roots had burrowed straight into the monster’s flesh.

‘Their sensitivity to their own bodies seems pretty low.’

There were about eight of them, all stark naked. They were letting it all hang out, very… exposed.

“Ready!”

Leech couldn’t gauge the creatures’ strength. He shouted an order, and the Soldiers on horseback immediately raised their guns.

The warhorses pawed at the ground, showing no fear of the monsters’ immense size.

“Fire!”

The crack of gunfire displaced the surrounding air, and the pungent smell of gunpowder made Leech frown. The bullets sent the monsters into a screaming frenzy, but the wounds—no bigger than the tip of a pinky—were far from fatal. The gunshots only managed to send the creatures’ bodily fluids splattering.

“Switch to skirmishing tactics!” Leech immediately changed his strategy.

‘I knew it. Firearms are too weak against Magical Creatures. If I don’t increase their power, they’re destined for obsolescence. But increasing their power also raises manufacturing costs, stripping them of their key advantage: mass production.’

‘I’m still weighing which path to take, but pushing costs down while raising power is definitely the right direction.’

Fortunately, the Cavalry’s high mobility was perfect against these clumsy, oafish monsters. Two men remained to protect Leech while the rest circled the creatures, engaging in skirmish tactics.

It was clear the eight brutes weren’t very bright; their attention was easily drawn away.

“Sir, there’s someone over there! She’s being chased by those monsters!”

One of the Cavalry called out to Leech. Peering, Leech could just make out a small figure darting out from beside the monsters. The figure then moved to block the monsters’ path, as if deliberately trying to lure a tiger with a piece of candy.

She stumbled as she ran toward Leech’s position.

The aurora overhead bathed her long, smooth hair in a layer of light, catching Leech’s eye.

The clothes on her chest were torn. With each step she took, it looked as if a pair of white rabbits were trying to leap out, only to be tucked back into her red leather armor, then leap out again, then back again.

BOING~

BOUNCE-

WOBBLE!

‘Now that’s how you run in a teen drama!’ Leech thought, stunned for a moment. ‘At this moment, she’s possessed by the spirit of every melodramatic K-drama, every angsty J-drama, and every deadpan Chinese soap opera! She does not run alone.’

‘Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone make “fleeing for your life” look so damned captivating.’

‘Really, it has nothing to do with the rabbits. I can swear on Prince George’s remaining ear. And if that’s not enough, I’ll throw in the Eldest Prince’s “little prince,” too.’

“Help me! Sir!” Her running speed wasn’t slow. She quickly put distance between herself and the monsters… because they weren’t even chasing her. Their attention had been completely captured by the skirmishing Cavalry.

It was only as she kept running that she awkwardly realized this.

Leech waved his hand. The two Cavalrymen who had been guarding him raised their firearms and aimed them at the exquisite woman.

‘A beautiful woman is worthy of appreciation. A suspicious beautiful woman is even more worthy of appreciation. But that’s no reason to let my guard down.’

“Ma’am, please don’t move. Until I can ascertain your intentions, approaching without permission could be fatal.”

Leech was just being considerate with his reminder. The warning was actually for the one red-eyed white rabbit she had hidden on her person. As everyone knew, he had a soft spot for cute, pitiful little animals and was unwilling to harm the innocent.

She stopped in her tracks.

‘I just saw the combat strength of those firearm-wielding Cavalrymen firsthand,’ she thought. ‘The loud bang, followed by a shot that made the Giants howl as blue-green blood gushed everywhere. The most terrifying part was not being able to see what was fired—it was too fast! The last thing I want is a group of men pointing those… things… at me and shooting, leaving me like those poor Giants, covered all over and leaking nonstop.’

‘How horrible would that be.’