Two young Stone Giants attempted to assist the Granite Stone Giant.
In their urgency, they forgot their instructions and charged toward the Granite Stone Giant's position.
The Graymane Werewolves seized the opportunity to pounce on the unprotected juvenile and young adult giants, their claws carving cold arcs through the moonlight.
anwhile, the lizardfolk who had been lurking with invisibility spells crept closer to several young giants, thrusting their spears at the stony bodies.
The young Stone Giants panicked and tried to fall back to defend.
However.
Elite gnolls and giant wolf knights sward around them, encircling them for the kill.
A crimson harbinger streaked across the night sky, appearing above the giant encampnt.
"The Diamond Stone Giant is dead!"
Garoth raised his claw, the glittering diamond core resting in his palm.
Instantly, the Stone Giants' morale plumted to freezing point. Their minion beasts trembled under the overwhelming dragon might, surrendering one after another as their will to fight crumbled.
The strongest protector of their clan had fallen.
This terrifying draconic being had returned with their elder's heart, flaunting his victory without sha.
"Damnable dragon!"
"You must have used underhanded tricks to slay our elder!"
The Granite Stone Giant smashed a fist into the Gluttonous Ogre's body, struggling to rise as it roared at Garoth.
Underhanded?
To the victor, an enemy's insults sound like praise. Garoth felt no anger, only cold indifference as he surveyed the battlefield below.
"Daring to provoke the mighty Dragon Lord? You seek death, giant!"
The Gluttonous Ogre rushed to defend its master, eager to prove itself as it lunged at the Granite Stone Giant again. With the minion beasts surrendering instead of resisting, more monsters joined the encirclent against the remaining giants.
Ti passed amid smoke and slaughter.
Within minutes.
Karu wrenched the Granite Stone Giant's head from its shoulders, pounding his chest in triumphant roars. The young and juvenile giants had their limbs shattered before being tightly bound in chains by the minions.
Garoth leisurely folded his wings and descended upon the conquered camp.
"Dragon Lord, what shall we do with these giant captives?"
Russell licked his claws stained with beast blood as he stood before the captured young giants.
Garoth studied the giants.
In their eyes—whether large or small—he saw fear, fury, and hatred.
Attempt taming them?
Enslaving giants would be a rare honor for dragonkind.
But no—constantly monitoring them would be tedious. These minions might not reliably suppress Stone Giants, and with such deep grudges between them, keeping the giants alive posed too great a risk.
When uprooting weeds, one must remove the roots.
Garoth flicked his tail. "Kill them all. Leave none alive."
A single sentence sealed the Stone Giants' fate.
The monsters surged forward, dismbering the giants into massive stone chunks—materials refined by magical energy, perfect for crafting superior alchemical weapons and armor.
The remaining magical beasts were divided among the clans for enslavent under Garoth's orders.
Garoth walked to the camp's center, gazing at the Geosymbiotic Pool.
"The Geosymbiotic Pool... By imrsing different ores, it extracts mineral essences. These essences gestate within the pool to condense into higher-quality ores."
"Preserving it offers greater long-term value than the Diamond Stone Giant's remains."
The trouble was, he lacked the ans to relocate the Geosymbiotic Pool, forcing him to leave it here.
After brief consideration, Garoth commanded the Bonegnaw Clan to station ogres here as guards.
"This highland where the Stone Giants made camp has excellent strategic positioning."
"Stationing forces here wouldn't be wasteful."
As this thought crossed his mind, Garoth's eyes glead with sudden realization—perhaps he should properly organize his territory and minions.
"The present differs from the past."
"After this period of developnt, I've put down roots here. My domain grows steadily—I won't abandon this territory unless facing extre danger."
"In that case, I should properly apply the principles from The Prince and On Lordship."
"Govern my domain more effectively."
Garoth decided he could no longer let his minion clans develop chaotically. Without proper control, they'd beco liabilities. His territory also needed proper planning.
Until he grew sufficiently powerful himself,
His minions would serve as Garoth's claws and scales—his first line of defense and surveillance network.
"Sentinel posts at strategic highlands and passageways."
"Guarding resource points like grazing pastures and rivers rich in water."
"Eliminate uncontrollably powerful magical beasts first, then dosticate and enslave the remainder for husbandry."
"............."
A flood of knowledge about territory and minion managent surged through his mind, clarifying his next steps.
But truthfully, he disliked such trivial matters.
Compared to wasting ti on governance, Garoth would rather smash mountains or pound the earth.
"Start with the basics. Later, I should recruit an intelligent minion or dragon follower as 'chancellor' to manage the territory and clans."
"Samantha? No—she'd treat my minions like ants, making them fight for her amusent."
"Karu's clever and attentive, but his cunning skews toward deceit rather than governance."
Garoth always believed personal strength mattered most—everything else was secondary.
Yet he couldn't completely neglect his territory.
It affected his growth and resource acquisition.
Contemplating The Prince's teachings, Garoth beat his wings, stirring gales that drew all minions' attention as he hovered midair. His spread wings cast a massive shadow like banners.
Under the curious gazes of his minions,
Garoth declared: "Bonegnaw Clan, Howling Moon Clan, Redeye Clan, Rending Claw Clan... All these nas shall beco history!"
His electrifying gaze swept across them.
"From this night onward."
"You share one na!"
Garoth lifted his head in a draconic roar, his voice thundering:
"People of Molten Iron!"
Uniting scattered clans under one na marked the first—and most crucial—step in organizing his domain. It would strengthen their cohesion, making them understand whom they fought for and lived under.
Under the twin moons and starry sky's witness, the Clan of Molten Iron led by Garoth was officially born this day.
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