The black dot grew rapidly larger, but its flight path was erratic, like a kite with a broken string tossed about in a gale.
’It’s here!’
Raylo’s pupils contracted. Already waiting in the open space before the castle, he vaulted onto Baofeng’s back.
Moonlight and Coal Ball followed close behind, leaping into the saddle in front of Raylo.
Baofeng let out a piercing cry. With a single beat of its wings, it kicked up a fierce wind and soared into the sky.
The massive figure drew closer and closer, finally crashing down heavily on a hillside several kiloters from Black Stone Castle, accompanied by a dull, heavy thud and a tremor in the ground.
Dust and smoke filled the air, startling countless birds from the nearby forest into flight.
Raylo had Baofeng circle in the air, getting a clear view of the fallen creature.
It was a true Giant Dragon.
Even curled up, its body was like a small mountain.
Its streamlined body was covered in scales that looked as if they were cast from molten gold. In the light of the setting sun, they shimred with a dim yet majestic luster.
It was the very sa "Knight Dragon" he had t once before.
But now, it was a pitiful sight.
Its left wing mbrane was torn by a massive gash. A hideous wound ran from its abdon to its chest, nearly gutting it. Large chunks of its scales were peeled back, revealing charred flesh and blood underneath, so deep that bone was visible.
Its golden Dragon Blood had congealed into a dark red, staining the grassy hillside an ominous color.
It sensed the visitor in the sky and laboriously lifted its head. Its golden draconic eyes were filled with vigilance, pain, and deep exhaustion.
A low growl rumbled from deep within its throat. It was less a threat and more a defiant groan.
Raylo did not approach hastily. Instead, he had Baofeng land slowly about a hundred ters away from the Golden Dragon.
He hopped off the Griffin’s back and walked toward the Golden Dragon alone and unard.
The Golden Dragon snorted hot air from its nostrils, the growl in its throat growing more pronounced. It struggled to get up, but the movent pulled at its wounds, and it let out a pained cry.
Raylo stopped fifty ters away from it and took the Golden Dragon Fla Crystal from his coat.
In the dim light, the Crystal Stone emitted a gentle golden glow that seed to echo the luster of the Golden Dragon’s scales.
Upon seeing the Crystal Stone, the Golden Dragon’s movents visibly paused. The vigilance and hostility in its eyes slowly faded.
It recognized the crystal, and it recognized the tiny human before it.
Raylo didn’t move any closer. He simply held up the Crystal Stone from a distance, expressing his goodwill.
After a mont, the Golden Dragon seed to have finally exhausted its last ounce of strength, or perhaps pride. Its massive head drooped heavily to the ground.
Seeing this, Raylo finally quickened his pace and went forward.
He circled around to the Golden Dragon’s wound, where the sll of blood and burnt flesh washed over him.
He took out a Potion from his Space Ring—the one Ed had just delivered. It was a bottle of erald-green liquid that radiated a rich Life Force.
He uncorked the bottle and held the Potion to the Golden Dragon’s mouth.
The Golden Dragon looked at him, its golden pupils reflecting Raylo’s calm face.
It hesitated for a mont before finally extending its tongue and gently lapping the Potion into its mouth.
As the Potion went down, a warm energy seed to spread through its body, slightly reviving its spirits.
Raylo didn’t stop there. He took out several packets of dicine and generously sprinkled Master Barnaby’s specially-made styptic powder over the horrifying wound.
As the powder touched the flesh, it made a soft SIZZLING sound and gave off a puff of blood-red smoke. The wound, which had still been weeping blood, began to close at a visible rate.
A mix of intense pain and the soothing relief from the potion coursed through the Golden Dragon, and its massive body trembled slightly.
It gave Raylo a deep, unreadable look.
Finally, the exhaustion from days of fighting and flying could no longer be suppressed. Its taut nerves completely relaxed.
Its golden eyelids slowly closed, and its heavy breathing beca steady and deep.
The proud Giant Dragon, in this foreign land and before a Human Lord, fell into a deep sleep.
Night fell. A circle of bonfires was lit on the hillside, enveloping the Golden Dragon’s massive body in a warm, orange glow.
Led by Ed, ten Griffin Knights and sixty Pegasus Knights established three mobile security periters, centered on the Golden Dragon and extending over a thousand ters out.
Their mission was to guard it, ensuring that no clueless Magical Beast or greedy adventurer would disturb the Golden Dragon while it recovered.
"My Lord, all sentry posts have been deployed."
Ed ca to Raylo’s side and reported in a low voice.
Raylo nodded, his gaze still fixed on the Golden Dragon.
"Good work. Have the Knights stand watch in two shifts. The Golden Dragon’s slumber may last for so ti."
"Yes, sir!"
For the next three days, Raylo would arrive on the hillside at dawn and dusk, right on ti, with freshly prepared Potions and dicinal powders.
On the first day, when he approached, the Golden Dragon rely lifted an eyelid before falling back asleep, allowing Raylo to sprinkle the powder on its gradually healing wound.
On the second day, under the combined effects of its powerful Life Force and the precious Potions, pink new flesh had begun to grow over the hideous wounds. The Golden Dragon also ate a good amount of the Magical Beast at Raylo brought, recovering a great deal of its strength and spirit.
By dusk on the third day, when Raylo arrived again with Moonlight and Coal Ball, the Golden Dragon was already on its feet.
Its enormous body was stretched out, resembling a flowing mountain range of gold.
The last rays of the setting sun washed over it, and every one of its scales refracted a brilliant light. It was magnificent and awe-inspiring, with no trace of the wretched state he had first found it in.
The wound that had nearly disemboweled it had completely healed, leaving only a long, slightly lighter-colored scar.
Seeing Raylo, the Golden Dragon slightly lowered its proud head. In draconic etiquette, this simple gesture was a sign of the highest respect.
"Young man, you have helped this Knight for a second ti."
The Golden Dragon spoke. Because of the close proximity, its voice was quite loud.
"It was nothing."
Raylo replied calmly.
"Seeing a brave Knight in distress, anyone with a sense of honor would not stand idly by."
"Your Potions... are very effective. As repaynt, this Knight never leaves a debt unpaid."
As soon as it finished speaking, the Golden Dragon opened its mouth. Several items shimring with various magical lights flew out and floated lightly in front of Raylo.
Raylo’s gaze fell upon the items.
There was a fiery-red Crystal Stone the size of a human head, radiating an astonishing fluctuation of the Fire Elent;
a Small Round Shield woven entirely from so kind of golden Dragon Scale, with indestructible Magic Runes flowing across its surface;
and an unknown Beast Horn about a ter long, deep violet in color, with faint flickers of lightning within it.
Raylo nodded.
"Your Excellency, I accept your thanks."
He didn’t refuse. With a casual wave of his hand, he stored everything in his Space Ring.
This straightforward attitude actually made the Golden Dragon think more highly of him.
In its long life, it had seen too many humans who feigned refusal in the face of wealth, only to be consud by greed on the inside.
"Can you tell who injured you this badly?"
"As far as I know, the Black Dragon in the Black Stone Mountain Range shouldn’t have this kind of power."
After accepting the gifts, Raylo asked the question that concerned him most.
The Golden Dragon was imnsely powerful. Even if it couldn’t defeat the Black Dragon of the Black Stone Mountain Range, it shouldn’t have been so grievously wounded.
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