Beneath the Red Dragon

Bang, bang, bang

Heavy footsteps rang out as several Giant Species, carrying enormous rolling stones and boulders, emerged from one side of the mountain pass and headed down the mountain.

Even when they saw the Frost Giant Ragnar, they showed no curiosity or intention to inquire.

Ragnar Heg’s curiosity was piqued by these giants’ actions. He stepped forward and stood in front of the tall giants, asking, ”Hey, what are you doing?”

The indifferent giants ignored the seemingly extraordinary Frost Giant, except for a variant of a tall Hill Giant — a Mountain Giant, who stopped and seemed warmer than his companions.

”Hmm, an outsider? Frost Giant? Are you a pilgrimage traveler from the Far North, here to admire the peak of the mountains?”

The Hill Giant held a large round stone on its shoulder effortlessly and hummed.

”Something like that, but I’m here to challenge the Imperial Dragon Emperor, Karon Gogomola!” Ragnar Heg loudly replied.

The Frost Giant felt his response might provoke hostility, but this was his nature.

However, Ragnar’s words made the Mountain Giant laugh.

”Hahaha, you’re very brave, outsider, and I hope you succeed, as there are very few who are as naive as you, even among giants, you are one of a kind!”

The Mountain Giant laughed, ”As for us, we are building a large shelter for the cattle below the mountain. These wild cattle living in the highlands have delicious meat, the favorite of the Dragon Lords.”

”And those pretty furred kittens. Lord Raven told us they are the Emperor’s cherished pets, and we must take good care of them!”

”Go on, outsider, head up the slope. The highest peak is your target.” The Mountain Giant did not linger and went straight down the mountain.

Ragnar looked toward the mountain peak no longer emitting firelight and continued his solitary journey.

Continuing upwards, he entered the alpine snow zone, traversing high-altitude meadows and shrubs, welcoming the Frost Giant’s most familiar climate.

Apart from vast stretches of frozen plain moss and lichens, only a few cold pines stood, appearing like the desert zone of the mountain.

However, this seemingly desolate place is also where Extraordinary Creatures appear most frequently.

Passing through a cold pine forest, Frost Giant Ragnar saw a hatchling dragon perched silently atop a dead tree, watching him quietly.

This hatchling dragon’s head resembled other dragons, but had vastly different features.

As this hatchling dragon had no wings, and its body was entirely slender, with only the middle of its limbs slightly thicker, resembling a python with dragon-like appearance.

Its scale armor color matching the dead tree’s made Ragnar unable to discern the dragon species, so he continued forward.

On the way, Ragnar encountered Half-Sheep People resembling elves, but with sheep-like legs, cloven hooves, and ram horns.

These Half-Sheep People reportedly originate from the Elf Wilderness, though their reasons for wandering into this Plane World are unknown. But they seemed to have settled in the mountains where dragons reside.

Ragnar was enthusiastically held by these Half-Sheep People, who tried to share the glory of Elf Wilderness, their former home, with him.

However, Ragnar had his own goals, so he only slightly indulged in a cup of high mountain cold wine brewed by the Half-Sheep People and bid farewell to these strange creatures.

Also from the Elf Wilderness, Immortal Spirits roamed the mountains.

These Immortal Spirits are a tiny race, even smaller than their friends Pik Elf and Little Elf, looking like insects with wings.

Each Immortal Spirit has a unique physical feature, making them distinct from other Immortal Spirits, with either wings resembling birds, or sparkling colorful skin, and some with a horn on their forehead like a mini unicorn horn.

Ragnar became curious and conversed with these creatures from the Elf Wilderness.

However, when he asked these small Immortal Spirits why they came here, he was beaten by them.

Frost Giant Ragnar held his head, panicking as he ran out of the tree house forest built by the Immortal Spirits.

Several small Immortal Spirits still stood behind, angrily yelling, ”Get lost, get lost, go up the mountain. When you see a pesky Pik Elf, tell her she’d better stay up there forever, or we’ll catch her!”

Ragnar escaped the area in a sorry state, no longer wishing to communicate with any creatures, and thus continued climbing until reaching the summit of the large mountain range.

Rather than a mountain peak, it appeared more like a vast land.

A distinct dividing line formed at Ragnar’s feet, with one side the alpine snow zone howling with cold winds, the other side a vast desert-like vegetation zone hidden in ethereal mist.

The Frost Giant’s face turned serious.

As the generational enemy and grudge of the White Dragon on the frost plains, Ragnar knew well about certain dragon traits.

A Giant Dragon’s nest is not only where the dragon rests but is closely tied to all its magic energy.