[Lord of Abundance] Chapter 33: Earth Dragon Crisis

 Chapter 33: Earth Dragon Crisis

“Hah—ptui!”

Supported by his subordinates as he fled, Dawn spat out a mouthful of thick phlegm mixed with dark clotted blood. The color finally returned, faintly, to his pale face.

He let out a soft sigh.

Seems like I’ve had rotten luck lately…

First, he’d been embarrassingly injured by a mere second-tier Green Armored Bear. And now, he’d been dragged into someone else’s mess and forced to take the furious blow of a creature at least at peak third-tier—possibly higher. His internal organs had nearly shifted out of place.

The only reason he was still alive…

Was thanks to the high-grade inner armor awarded to him by Marquis Lawrence during his years serving the Arlan family.

Reaching toward his chest, he found the outer beast-hide armor already shredded beyond repair.

Even the enchanted inner armor beneath—reinforced with high-tier defensive magic—was now gouged with three terrifying claw marks.

It was barely better than scrap.

Could that thing be a fourth-tier upper beast…?

Dawn forced a bitter smile.

He had simply been repairing traps along the outskirts of the Everdark Forest—

And somehow ran into a dominant creature from the core region.

Who could he even complain to?

—

“Cough—cough—”

“Sir, are you alright?”

“I’m fine… better now.”

Regaining a bit of strength, Dawn’s gaze turned cold as he looked toward the other group present.

Six battered mercenaries.

And one young noble.

Though dressed in armor, the boy’s pale skin and delicate bearing made it obvious—

He was the source of all this trouble.

A reckless noble brat, bored out of his mind, dragging others to their deaths by venturing into a forbidden land.

Dawn’s teeth ground together.

This was exactly why he’d grown sick of nobles.

Which was why he’d chosen to serve Kun.

At least his lord wouldn’t knowingly jump into a pit just to see what happened—even if he had the strength to survive it.

—

Earlier, with Dawn gravely injured, both sides had been evenly matched.

Under the looming threat of the Earth Dragon, they had no choice but to cooperate.

Now?

That balance was gone.

The guards rallied behind Dawn, and tension surged instantly.

—

A one-eyed old mercenary stepped forward, standing protectively before the noble youth.

“Great Warrior, isn’t this a bit excessive?”

“Rather than assigning blame, we should focus on escaping that monster.”

“I don’t deny your strength—but the Icefang Mercenary Group is not to be trifled with. For our mission, we will pay any price.”

—

“Bullshit!” one of Dawn’s men snapped.

“Icefang is a major mercenary group—how could a bunch of ragged nobodies like you represent them?”

“If you hadn’t come bursting out of the forest and dragged that monster here, our captain wouldn’t be injured, and we wouldn’t be stuck running with you!”

“You caused this mess—and now you say blame doesn’t matter?!”

—

“We are indeed Icefang members. This is our insignia.”

“If you still don’t believe us, there’s nothing I can do.”

“What happened today… is our fault.”

“If we escape alive, our employer will compensate you tenfold.”

—

Icefang…?

Dawn glanced at the icy-blue emblem.

His expression darkened further.

He knew the group.

Even met their leader once or twice.

They had a solid reputation—reliable, ruthless, and willing to sacrifice anything for a mission.

Even their own lives.

—

But that didn’t mean he’d let this go.

Dawn sneered.

Even if their leader were here—

It wouldn’t matter.

—

Rumble—!

A thunderous crash erupted from the forest behind them.

Trees were being smashed aside violently.

The beast—

Was catching up.

—

“Something’s wrong.”

Dawn’s expression changed instantly.

His greatsword flashed into his hand.

The guards raised their weapons as well.

—

The old mercenary’s face twisted.

“Are you insane?! That monster is almost here, and you want to fight now?!”

“We’ll all be dead before we finish killing each other!”

—

“With you around,” Dawn said coldly, “we won’t escape at all.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Drop the act.”

“There’s something on you attracting that beast.”

“That’s why it keeps finding us.”

“I’ll say it once—throw it away.”

“Or you die here first.”

—

His killing intent surged.

The presence of a peak third-tier Great Warrior pressed down like a storm.

The guards silently surrounded the mercenaries.

One command—

And they would strike.

—

At the center, the noble youth turned deathly pale.

The sheer killing intent aimed at him made every hair on his body stand on end.

—

“Hiss—hiss—hiss—”

From the darkness, countless crimson eyes appeared.

The sound of tongues flicking filled the air.

—

“Green Dragon Basilisks!”

“There are too many—five, six—no, they’re moving, I can’t count them!”

—

The creatures were low-tier draconic beasts, about two meters long.

They spat corrosive venom, moved quickly, and hunted in packs.

—

Dawn had already realized—

The Earth Dragon had learned.

After losing them multiple times, it had stopped hunting alone.

Instead—

It called reinforcements.

—

Among dragonkind, higher-ranked dragons could command lower species absolutely.

It was instinct.

Engraved in their blood.

—

“Break through!”

Dawn roared, raising his sword.

“Take your secrets to hell.”

“If you follow us again—I’ll kill you first.”

“Charge!”

—

With a burst of strength, he slashed forward.

Two basilisk-like creatures were instantly torn apart.

He led the guards straight through the encirclement.

—

Before, not knowing the cause, Dawn had avoided leading the danger toward Fengrao Territory.

Now—

He had his answer.

He would return.

—

As for the mercenaries?

Let them die.

He’d made himself clear.

Follow—

And die.

—

Behind them, the mercenaries’ expressions shifted drastically.

Though many basilisk beasts had been drawn away—

The real threat remained.

The Earth Dragon.

—

The one-eyed mercenary made a decision instantly.

“Follow them.”

—

“But—”

“Give me the Earth Dragon egg.”

“Or none of us survive.”

—

The noble youth hesitated.

Then, trembling, he took out a dark-gold egg from a spatial pendant.

The moment it appeared—

The surrounding creatures faltered.

—

But the danger only intensified.

A furious roar erupted behind them.

The Earth Dragon had sensed it.

—

The old mercenary snatched the egg and handed it to a shorter man.

“Old Five.”

“Leave it to me.”

—

The man grinned.

Without hesitation, he ran—

In the opposite direction.

—

“That direction is—”

The noble froze.

That path led straight into a territory infested with Bloodfang Demon Wolves.

—

Certain death.

—

Behind them—

The rumbling paused briefly.

Then shifted.

The Earth Dragon changed direction—

And gave chase.

—

The one-eyed mercenary grabbed the noble and ran.

“Move!”

—

Regret filled his heart.

Greed had blinded him.

He thought his experience in monster forests would be enough.

—

He was wrong.

—

They soon caught up to Dawn’s group.

—

“Didn’t you understand me?”

Dawn turned, sword leveled.

Killing intent surged again.

—

The one-eyed mercenary dropped his weapon.

“Great Warrior—”

“That boy is not one of us.”

“He is our employer.”

“A noble.”

—

“I don’t care who he is,” Dawn said coldly.

“Dead men don’t cause trouble.”

—

“He is the third son of Count Breton of the Smith family.”

“If killing us is worth more than saving us—then strike.”

“We’ve already led the Earth Dragon away.”

“What remains are only the basilisk creatures.”

“Surely beneath your concern.”

—

Dawn ignored the veiled mockery.

Of course they’d send their own man as bait.

He wasn’t their father.

—

But—

The Smith family.

—

Troublesome.

—

Some noble identities were meaningless.

Others—

Were absolute shields.

—

The Smith family controlled nearly a third of the southern economy.

Wealth rivaling the kingdom itself.

Even the royal treasury borrowed from them.

—

And more importantly—

They were allies of the Arlan family.

—

Dawn had seen Count Breton before.

A man whose very presence screamed wealth.

—

If it were any other noble—

He’d leave them to die.

—

But this one?

He had no choice.

—

Even if uncertain—

He had to save him.

—

Otherwise—

He would have no way to answer to his lord.