The drakes were as ferocious as their size suggested.
Since birth, they were large and powerful, choosing to fight rather than endure. Surviving most of their battles made their temperaments naturally foul.
They claimed territories ranging from ten kilometers to hundreds of kilometers, refusing to tolerate the presence of any other giant creature. If something entered, it was an immediate fight.
What if several such creatures were grouped together under a dragon’s rule? The immense stress would make their bodies ache.
In this situation, when things appeared that seemed perfect for venting their anger, the five drakes rose, delighted.
They were full of expectation for the primal pleasure of trampling and crushing.
Even when small things climbed up their legs, they did not worry.
It was the same when larger enemies appeared.
Although forced, they instinctively knew that since becoming a Dragon’s Guardian and growing stronger, there were few in the vast Dimensional Sea who could match them.
The drakes charged, letting out roars of joy.
It took less than ten minutes for that joy to turn into pain. The Walkers tore off the drakes’ scales with powerful jaws and claws.
Even though the scales were as hard as a dragon’s, the drakes had no way to endure as the attackers clung to them and dug into a single spot.
Eventually, the tough leather beneath the scales—though not as hard as the scales themselves—was exposed. The Walkers sprayed Acid Fluid and scratched with their jaws and claws to create holes.
The work of a small creature usually ended there.
After digging this far, they would exhaust their internal energy and collapse.
If they tried to dig further, they were bound to die from the pressure created by the drake’s flesh trying to fill the hole.
That was how the Worker Ants and Soldier Ants of the IANT functioned.
Unlike them, the Walkers possessed the Predatory Muscle of Origin.
They absorbed Mana and consumed the drake’s flesh, converting it into energy.
The small amount of Source Energy in their bodies made the process surprisingly efficient and fast.
Like having a near-infinite battery, the Walkers tirelessly bored holes into the drakes’ bodies.
Some had already pierced through the leather and were burrowing into the flesh.
One Walker, descending vertically down a drake’s back, reached the spine and began scraping the solid bone.
Kwooooar!
The drake, its entire body burning, went into a frenzy. It wanted to roll its body and kill the things burrowing inside, but the Battle Titans made that impossible.
If it were caught the moment it showed its belly, it would be the end.
However, if it stayed still, it would be killed by the Walkers. The drake was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Thud.
One drake collapsed.
It was the smallest of the five.
Even though it was the smallest, it was still a giant creature over 150 meters long. The other drakes also sensed their impending deaths. They were already struggling, yet enemies were still pouring out of Naxtu’s Lair.
The drakes, who had been sharpening their hatred toward Nakstu, now hoped he would come and save them—unaware that he had already been dissolved in the Soil Pit at Alsdain’s Lair.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The drakes collapsed one after another. Finally, the largest one died, its head split open by Lutal’s Death Blade.
[Drake Evolution Code Decoding Rate: 6%]
The rate reached 6% partly because they had previously killed the drakes ruled by the Dark Elves in the Separate Sea.
‘It’s good to have drakes, but there’s nothing to eat.’
Dragons grew stronger just by aging and had long lifespans, so they had plenty of free time. How they used that time varied for each dragon.
Some enjoyed “Amusement” by mingling with other species, while others focused on crafting. For Grifinel, it was growing plants; for Alsdain, it was Golem production.
On the other hand, Nakstu focused only on destruction. If something was created, he broke it; if a creature grew, he killed it.
Thus, there was nothing in his dimension except for a few Guardians. Even his lair looked unfinished compared to Alsdain’s.
‘There must be something to eat in the surrounding dimensions.’
Choi Kangjoong summoned Apocalids of Titan Class or higher and spread them around. Led by the Super Titans, the Apocalids sensed and moved toward the nearest dimensions.
Most dimensions in Nakstu’s territory were just piles of stone, but they preyed on even those to obtain nutrients and Evolution Points.
[You have preyed upon all dimensions in a sea area.]
[Please select a Species Evolution direction.]
[1. Production (Level 3): Increases Apocalid production efficiency.]
[2. Consumption (Level 3): Increases Evolution Points acquisition.]
[3. Absorption (Level 3): Increases Evolution Code synthesis efficiency.]
Sea area predation bonuses appeared consecutively. Choi Kangjoong selected all three, bringing Production, Consumption, and Absorption to Level 4.
‘I can just keep eating like this.’
Choi Kangjoong examined the Black Market Map in Alsdain’s Lair. It was enormous since it belonged to a dragon, making it easy to see.
‘Where should I go?’
He debated whether to expand from Nakstu’s territory or Grifinel’s. Since Ladespina was still unaware of the invasion, expanding in two directions was one possible method.
“Ku-eong.”
Kuongi, who was out far, warned Choi Kangjoong. He looked through Kuongi’s vision. In the distance, a dragon was watching Kuongi. He zoomed in on the location using the eyes of a Skyeye Giant near Kuongi.
‘It’s a Blue Dragon.’
The Blue Dragon watched Kuongi for a moment and then suddenly flew away. Choi Kangjoong tried to open a Gate to pursue it, but it had already moved too far to track.
‘Ladespina is going to find out. I should hold off on expanding in two directions. It would be good to know what Ladespina plans to do.’
Choi Kangjoong thought about calling a Central Stealth Scout but shook his head. He felt uneasy about infiltrating the lair of Ladespina, the Dragon Lord. To be certain, a Special Entity was better.
‘This is more important than Eleanor. Eleanor is being careful anyway.’
Eleanor didn’t act unusually in Marsala, perhaps acting on the assumption of being watched. All he did was send the Prince’s power to Clessence of M2721.
‘I wonder who the Prince is. Should I send Kai to the Demon Duke? It would be nice to have several Kais.’
Choi Kangjoong, wanting to quickly add the Special Entity production function, summoned Kai.
Kieek!
Kai, summoned after a long time, let out a cry. He had been stressed because he hadn’t been doing anything to help the species’ efficient multiplication.
“I’ll send you somewhere helpful.”
Kieek!
He placed Kai, a Central Stealth Scout, and several Stealth Scouts on a Fighter Giant.
“Fly quietly through the areas without dimensions.”
Kieek!
Kai replied that he would keep that in mind, and the Fighter Giant departed.
Ladespina’s Lair.
Suddenly, a Blue Dragon flew in. Ladespina’s eyes twitched. She was already furious because Alsdain and Nakstu, following Grifinel, had lost contact.
— Galton. There better be a good reason for entering my lair without permission.
— Lord! I saw it!
— Saw what?
— That bastard Nakstu’s territory was eaten by something strange!
— Something strange?
Galton reconstructed what he saw using Magic. Something streamlined approached a dimension, small things fell from it, and the dimension changed. Ladespina watched silently as something came to mind.
— The Outer Mind!
— Who is that?
— A human who is not a human. A noise in the Dimension System.
— There was such a thing?
Dragons were often ignorant of things outside their interests due to their arrogance. Ladespina knew because she had been steadily collecting information from the Enterprise Union.
— I thought it was an accident, but it was a deliberate invasion. Did the Elves instigate this?
Choi Kangjoong had come because he was hungry, but there was no way for Ladespina to know that. Ladespina hurriedly called and warned the dragons whose territories bordered Nakstu’s and Grifinel’s. They were the Black Dragon Tmus and the Red Dragon Corail.
— It is an invasion! Establish a line of defense.
— An invasion? Who attacked us?
— Who is this gutsy bastard? I’ll go and chew them up.
— Do not take this lightly. Grifinel, Nakstu, and Alsdain have already fallen.
— The one who just grew plants and the youngest one, I see.
— It doesn’t seem like much; should I just go wipe them out?
— Shut up and gather all your Guardians to prepare for defense!
Even for a Dragon Lord, it was not easy to control the self-centered dragons. Ladespina slammed the floor.
— Yes, ma’am.
— Understood.
Ladespina called for a dragon in the rear. He was the next strongest in her clan and her most trusted subordinate.
— Rotiaon.
— Lord.
— The Outer Mind has invaded. Lead four more dragons and stop them. Capture him alive if possible.
— What about you, Lord?
— I cannot leave this place empty.
— Understood.
Left alone, Ladespina spread her Mana. The Dimensional Sea shook from the faint Source Energy mixed within it.
‘To think the one the Prince is focusing on would come here. Is this good fortune?’
Ladespina’s Mana continued to spread.
Choi Kangjoong also noticed the change in the dragons thanks to the Skyeye Giants and Central Stealth Scouts he had sent to both sides. Unlike before, when the dragons stayed alone, they were now huddled together with a large number of Guardians.
‘Are they not attacking because they want to gather their rear forces and strike all at once?’
As a veteran of the Dimension War, Choi Kangjoong saw through Ladespina’s plan.
‘I’ll know more once Kai arrives. Where should I start eating?’
A Black Dragon was stationed at the three o’clock position, and a Red Dragon was at the eight o’clock position.
‘The Red Dragon seems easier.’
Red Dragons had volatile personalities, so it seemed like they would charge out if provoked with a few words. After killing the dragon, he could just dissolve the Guardians in the Soil Pit.
The Black Dragon had created a vast area of black fog and was crouching inside. He sent one Stealth Scout inside, but it was quickly discovered and killed. He didn’t send a Central Stealth Scout, as it would be a waste.
‘Is it the Black Dragon’s Great Magic?’
A dragon was capable of casting Great Magic-level spells alone. A Great Magic spell cast by such a dragon, using the Guardians as a base, was far more powerful than Marquis Vespira’s Blood Castle. Entering that without a plan was not a good idea.
There was a strategy Choi Kangjoong used often in the Dimension War for such situations. It was to ram the Apocalyde Dimension into it. It was a giant Apocalid in itself and a land for other Apocalids. It was also a massive mass that was difficult to kill with a Black Dragon’s wide-area magic.
‘Since I have another Apocalyde Dimension, it’s fine if this one is lost. I don’t know what the Red Dragon’s Great Magic is, so let’s go that way.’
Choi Kangjoong made his decision, and the Apocalid moved toward the Black Dragon’s black fog.
At about the same time, Rotiaon, who had received Ladespina’s order, was gathering dragons and Guardians and deciding where to go.
— As an attacker, he will know that Corail is not advantageous as a defender. He will likely try to collapse that side first.
It was a rational judgment. At a glance, a Red Dragon who rampaged alone was good at attacking but hard to see as someone good at defending.
Thus, the five dragons and the Guardians headed in the exact opposite direction of the Apocalid. Because of that, the clash between the main force sent by Ladespina and the Apocalid was delayed for quite some time.