Coniferous Valley, Sulfur Pool.
Garros tossed chunks of Copper Ore into it.
This type of Ore was distributed around Coniferous Valley and was a fire-attribute metal Ore. When it came into contact with the sulfur pool, a high-temperature reaction occurred. The Great Bears had previously used copper to enhance the sulfur pool's effects, making it boil, grow hotter, and produce more steam.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!
As the chunks of Copper Ore touched the sulfur pool's water, bubbles immediately began to rise continuously, sizzling as the temperature rose steadily.
Garros did not jump into the sulfur pool to soak.
He lifted his dragon wings, which were smeared with the Snake Dragon's poisonous blood, and held them over the sulfur pool, letting the areas corroded into many holes endure the impact of the high-temperature steam.
That high-temperature, moisture-laden steam.
It was pervasive, seeping into the blood-filled holes on his wings. The sensation of pain caused the corners of Garros's mouth to twitch slightly.
Ordinary high temperatures meant nothing to him.
Due to the influence of the Fire Blessing, his fire resistance, after an initial decrease, had been steadily increasing recently. It had already surpassed its previous peak and improved further; he was basically immune to ordinary fire damage.
But high-temperature steam was a form of mixed damage.
Particularly since it included water-attribute damage that countered Garros, mixed with the pain from the snake venom, the sensation was indescribable. If he had to describe it, it was like having a mouth full of dense ulcers, then taking a mouthful of chili powder and using his tongue to stir it evenly over every single ulcer.
"Even if the attempt fails, it will still increase my water resistance somewhat."
Intense pain is even harder to endure outside of combat. Garros's tail flicked constantly, and his wings trembled.
But his gaze remained fierce as he kept his wings spread, enduring the steam's impact.
"Pain? I am the master of this body."
"Mere pain, submit to me!"
"This isn't pain, it's refreshing. This is exactly the feeling I wanted."
Garros grinned and tossed another chunk of Copper Ore into the sulfur pool, making the steam denser and hotter. He bared his teeth in agony, but he refused to move his wings.
The Faerie Dragon Vera and the Red Dragon Samantha looked at each other, both seeing the shock in the other's eyes.
"Garros has become even more of a freak."
"To torture himself like this... ordinary pain completely fails to satisfy him now."
Samantha silently backed up a few steps away from the steam-filled area and spoke.
"When did Garros start showing these symptoms?" the Faerie Dragon asked in confusion. "He couldn't have developed some kind of dragon mental illness, could he?"
Dragons had highly developed brains and were more capable of sensing the essence of the world.
However, this also gave dragons a chance of suffering from mental illnesses.
Infinite Gluttony, Extreme Magic Addiction, and Nest-Leaving Wanderlust were all types of dragon mental illnesses. Garros's symptoms were uncommon, but the Faerie Dragon felt they looked a bit like the precursors to a 'mental illness'.
"In my memory, he's always liked doing this."
Samantha touched the keratin on her jaw, saying thoughtfully, "This probably isn't a mental illness, but some kind of fetish. My Legacy mentions that some intelligent creatures enjoy the feeling of injury and pain."
"Garros must be like that. The more his body hurts, the more he enjoys it."
The Faerie Dragon realized and nodded. "As expected of Garros, he's truly unique. Even his fetishes are so strange."
Garros's mind was preoccupied with resisting the pain, so he didn't notice the conversation between the two dragons.
Otherwise, he would have surely come over and given each dragon a slap to make them pay for their slander!
He still had to go to Crescent Moon Valley in three days. If the werewolves of the Howling Moon Clan chose to refuse and a battle was necessary, Garros only did a brief session this time and stopped before long.
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
Garros had mostly recovered, so he took to the sky and flew toward Crescent Moon Valley.
To be safe, two days ago, he had ordered Mobel to lead the majority of the Great Bears toward Crescent Moon Valley. Garros didn't need them to launch an attack; he only required them to stay at a certain distance, stop at the periphery, and hide.
This way.
If communication with the Howling Moon Clan went poorly.
With the cooperation and blockade of the Great Bears, he would have a higher certainty of wiping out this werewolf tribe without letting a single member escape.
Meanwhile, at Crescent Moon Valley, the Howling Moon Clan.
The Old Shaman, the Chieftain, and a group of prime Grey-mane Werewolves were waiting in the clan's territory for the dragon's arrival. Some of the werewolves bore fresh wounds; the number of giant wolves in the tribe had increased, while the number of werewolves had decreased accordingly.
These ten days.
The Howling Moon Clan had not been peaceful.
The Old Shaman and the Chieftain, the two highest leaders of the clan, were both inclined toward submitting to and following the dragon.
Standing at the highest positions, they bore the most pressure and knew how difficult it was to lead a group to survive in the wilderness. Moreover, by checking ancient clan records regarding dragon knowledge overnight, they realized that Garros was likely only a Young Dragon, yet he could kill the evil snake they considered a great enemy. Such a performance meant he was no ordinary dragon.
Following a Young Dragon with extraordinary potential.
For a wilderness clan, this was a good choice.
Furthermore, because of Garros's final kind words, they felt he was not a cruel and bloodthirsty Evil Dragon.
However, the voices within the tribe were not unified. Some werewolves, due to the shadow left by the Cliff Snake Dragon, were adamant that they could not invite another wolf into the house.
Soon, the differing voices turned into different factions.
The originally peaceful discussion gradually became heated.
Grey-mane Werewolves respected the strong. Since they couldn't reach a conclusion through discussion, they fought; whoever had the bigger fist would have the final say.
Thus.
To decide the future direction of the clan.
At this critical juncture, a group of werewolves with the same goal but different ideas began a duel. In the end, it concluded with the victory of the Shaman and Chieftain's side.
Those individuals who participated in the duel and lost.
According to the Howling Moon Clan's tradition, they willingly transformed into giant wolves, giving up their intelligence to continue guarding the clan with wild instincts and thoughts under the leadership of other werewolves.
Whoosh!
Following a high-pitched whistle from afar.
To demonstrate his own power, Garros once again descended upon the Howling Moon Clan's territory like a crimson meteor streaking across the sky.
His gaze swept over the werewolves, finally settling on the Old Shaman.
Garros smiled slightly and said, "How have you considered? Will you choose to follow under my wings toward a brighter path, or refuse my kindness and continue to struggle for survival in the wilderness?"
The Old Shaman was the first to lower his head and kneel before Garros.
"O noble and powerful Dragon, it is our Howling Moon Clan's honor to serve you."
"From this day forward, the Howling Moon Clan will become your vassals and offer you our loyalty. Wherever you go, the wolves of the Howling Moon shall follow."
As if a switch had been flipped.
The werewolves knelt before Garros one after another.
With this, Garros gained his first group of intelligent creature vassals.
The process was smooth, as if it were only natural.
Shortly after, Garros noticed the change in the number of giant wolves and werewolves within the Howling Moon Clan.
"What's the matter with these new giant wolves?"
He asked the Old Shaman.
The Old Shaman's gaze was complex as he said slowly, "They were once warriors who held opposing views. Now they have shed their intelligence to become beasts, guarding the clan in another way."
Then, he informed Garros of the specific details.
This left Garros somewhat moved and thoughtful.
He had merely given them a choice and hadn't cared about the Howling Moon Clan's reaction, only waiting for the final result.
Yet to make that choice, the Howling Moon Clan.
Had undergone an internal struggle within these short ten days.
This also made Garros realize even more.
How important strength was in this world where the strong preyed on the weak.
A single thought or whim of the strong could decide the fate of the weak, leading them to a new life or plunging them into the abyss.
At the same time.
In the northern Serel Wilderness, between the wilderness and the Permafrost Tundra, at Red Maple Ridge.
The Copper Dragon soared into the sky.
"Naturally evil Hybrid Dragon! I will find you, then defeat you! I'll capture you, discipline you, and turn you into a good dragon!"
Carrying brand-new equipment and having undergone over half a year of rigorous training, the Copper Dragon was full of fighting spirit as he flew into the high heavens.