Just like Rock Lee dropping his leg weights, Kulve Taroth shed her previously heavy, clunky demeanor. Her movements became instantly more agile.
At the same time, she no longer needed to deliberately suppress her body temperature to prevent her "clothes" from melting; without those shackles, she could finally unleash her full power.
In truth, Kulve Taroth didn't need a coat of gold to bolster her defenses. The entire mantle was something she actively cooled and molded onto her skin after melting metal and gold with her own body heat.
Wearing the "clothes" actually made her weaker. Once stripped of that layer, every inch of Kulve Taroth's body became the ultimate defense. A searing heat of 1,400 degrees Celsius was enough to melt anything that touched her, whether it was an attacker's fangs or mere rock and metal.
Even the frequency of the heat beams she spat from her maw increased. She fired whenever she pleased, venting with reckless, exhilarating abandon—she didn't even have to worry about burying herself underground like Asterion did.
"Roar, roar-roar!" (...If we're really talking about the aesthetics of clothes, the most important thing has to be the grandeur! It needs to look incredibly complex, with distinct layers, structural harmony, and a powerful visual impact!)
"Roar, roar!" (...The more folds the better, and the more lace the better! That's what true splendor is. Of course, some essential cut-out designs are a must...)
Asterion felt fantastic.
He couldn't remember the last time he had conversed with someone—or rather, a "person" of equal status—like this. Thinking back, it seemed to be the first time since he had been reborn into this world.
The Kulu-Ya-Ku brothers were pure simpletons; it was an achievement that they could even speak clearly at this point. To expect an insightful conversation from them was a pipe dream. While the Bazelgeuse brothers were smarter than the Kulu-Ya-Ku, their intelligence was limited; every ounce of their wisdom was dedicated to finding fights and figuring out how to make those fights more explosive. Now that they had evolved into Seething Bazelgeuse, they had abandoned the concept of thinking altogether. They existed in a state of perpetual fury, driven only by the desire for combat.
The Acidic Glavenus was, at her core, just an ordinary Glavenus subspecies. Currently, she wasn't even a Tempered monster, let alone an Arch-Tempered one. Her mind was filled only with training her blade-work to become stronger. Mirrorblade was certainly smart enough, but the lad was too young and lacked experience; he was still in the phase of stubbornly trying to topple his "old man." Even if he wanted to chat, he had nothing to share and could only listen to what Asterion had to say.
The Grimalkynes of the Glavenus Tribe were merely his vassals, and he was the god who protected them. As the saying goes, distance breeds awe, so Asterion had no intention of having heart-to-heart chats with these cats. The Grimalkynes just needed to keep serving him.
As for the hunters of the Research Commission and the humans behind them, there was even less to say. What was there for a dragon and a human to talk about?
Even if people like the Admiral were currently on somewhat familiar terms with Asterion, the moment any human dared to provoke him in the future, Asterion would not hesitate to destroy human towns or even human kingdoms as a warning.
Ancient Elder Dragons like the old Kushala Daora certainly had plenty to talk about, and Asterion acknowledged them as equals in conversation. Unfortunately, they had no desire to speak with him. In particular, the Kushala Daora that had followed the Third Fleet was quite unfriendly; it had launched an attack before Asterion had even closed the distance.
So, this was a first.
Asterion even set aside the utilitarian motive he had at the start—getting on Kulve Taroth's good side so this "wealthy lady" would take him on a shortcut to the Elder's Recess. For the first time, he was sharing the knowledge in his mind with another dragon.
At first, it was just Asterion talking non-stop, ranging from praising Kulve Taroth's appearance to suggesting beautiful improvements for her gold mantle. It was like a model kit enthusiast meeting a master sculptor who could hand-craft professional models; after offering his worship, it was only natural to beg the master to craft the magnificent model of his dreams.
And Kulve Taroth went from listening in silence to occasionally interjecting a word or two, or tearing a clump of golden metal from her back to reshape it in front of her according to Asterion's descriptions.
Later on, Kulve Taroth actually began to praise Asterion in return.
"Roar, roar." (Your scales are beautiful too. They're so shiny that they reflect everything around them. I wish I had scales like those.)
She was actually getting envious. Fortunately, she didn't lash out in a fit of jealous rage.
As they grew more familiar with each other, Kulve Taroth became quite talkative, huddling together with Asterion and chattering incessantly.
"Roar?" (Like this?)
"Roar, roar." (Make it a bit more rounded. If it's too sharp, it lacks a sense of presence.)
"Roar?" (Cut-outs? Like this? What? Even more?)
"Roar, roar, roar." (Exactly, exactly. Add more gold filigree and more gold rings. That jingling sound will definitely be pleasant when you move.)
"Roar?" (Lace? What a novel word. How do I make that?)
"Roar, roar. Roar." (Like this—do it according to the pattern I'm drawing for you. Don't make them big; make them small. The more you stack them together, the better. That is true beauty!)
"...."
And so it went.
The abilities Kulve Taroth possessed weren't just the free control of her body temperature. Like most Elder Dragons, the horns on her head were vital organs for channeling her power, and her massive, spiraling gold horns were no exception.
She could manipulate magnetism. That gold mantle draped over her was shaped by using magnetism to mold the metal before it cooled and solidified. It was precisely because pure gold isn't magnetic that Kulve Taroth mixed other metals with it so it could be controlled.
Otherwise, Asterion suspected this beauty-loving dragon would have unhesitatingly chosen to forge her clothes out of 24-karat gold.
In this regard alone—having a love for beauty and her own unique aesthetic and hobbies—Kulve Taroth possessed remarkable intelligence.
Her micro-management abilities were even more exaggerated than Asterion had imagined. Despite her colossal size, she could make minute changes to the shape of a glob of gold alloy floating between the two dragons—changes so fine they could be called "carving."
She could pull the metal into incredibly thin threads—not just thin relative to a large dragon, but thin even by the standards of a human-sized creature. Finally, she could twist and weave these threads into the shape of a flower.
It was a staggering feat; Asterion certainly couldn't twist his flames into the shape of a flower.
"Roar, roar. Roar." (It needs to be even more magnificent! We want the kind of level that makes other dragons feel dizzy just looking at it. The more curves there are, the more light will be refracted, and the more it will sparkle!)
Asterion continued to offer guidance. These small models were just prototypes. Kulve Taroth was doing her best to recreate the patterns and shapes he envisioned. Finally, it would be the perfect moment to transform her plain, crude gold mantle into a magnificent golden robe!
Undoubtedly, as a beauty-loving female dragon, Kulve Taroth was completely captivated by the vision of the magnificent attire Asterion described. She was full of drive, unable to wait to put on her new clothes.
Once Asterion had finished his instructions and everything was ready, Kulve Taroth shed the layer of gold on her body. It wasn't difficult; she only needed to rapidly spike her body temperature.
She became a literal source of intense heat, making even Asterion, sitting beside her, feel a bit stifled. The gold mantle draped over her soon melted like a river, sloughing off onto the ground, yet it didn't flow away randomly or seep into the cracks of the earth.
Kulve Taroth's control was precise. The gold coat was melted into a liquid metal that hovered around her in an orderly fashion, revealing her true form.
Unlike her previous glittering exterior, the current Kulve Taroth was black all over... well, that wasn't quite right.
The scales of her true body did have a black base, but it was a "multi-colored black"—an iridescent black with a metallic luster. The most eye-catching part was the scales on her back; not only was the black vibrant, but it also radiated a golden sheen.
This little female dragon had already been "soaked" through with gold.
"Roar." (It's not very pretty, is it? Too dark.)
She seemed a bit embarrassed, turning her head to huff out a heat wave. Compared to when she was studying the metal carvings just now, she looked a bit dejected.
Does Kulve Taroth actually despise the color of her own body? Or is it because she hates it so much that she spends all day draped in shiny clothes?
Asterion suddenly felt that these Elder Dragons could have quite adorable personalities.
"Roar, roar." (Not at all. Your scale texture is great, and this isn't just ordinary black—it's "premium black.")
"Roar?" (Really?)
Kulve Taroth looked at Asterion skeptically.
"Roar, roar." (For real. I truly think you are very beautiful.)
"Roar, roar!" (Liar. When we first met, you said I smelled delicious!)
"Roar, roar, roar!" (Those aren't mutually exclusive! And you do smell great... you still smell great now! That was a compliment!)
This was the truth.
Asterion genuinely thought Kulve Taroth smelled good, and this scent was entirely different from the meaty aroma emitted by other monsters. It was a very unique fragrance—the scent of metal.
Though it sounded strange, it was perhaps because Kulve Taroth spent years active in the leylines. Every action she took involved direct contact with bio-energy, and every scale on her body had been thoroughly soaked in it, emitting a metallic fragrance that delighted Asterion.
Well, you could also interpret it as her being "marinated" in it.
In short, Asterion was telling a rare truth; he wasn't deceiving Kulve Taroth just for his own goals.
"Roar, roar." (I don't believe you.)
With a huff, Kulve Taroth dropped that sentence and went back to shaping her new clothes. However, Asterion could tell that the little dragon seemed to be in a very good mood.
Heh.
Kulve Taroth worked quickly and with great control, but even so, it took a long time to weave her new attire. She poured a massive amount of effort into it.
It was just as magnificent as Asterion had described. The previous gold mantle could only be described as a layer of armor; all you could see were layers of gold stacked like shell scales. Every piece that broke off was just a crude chunk of metal, devoid of any artistic flair despite its high value.
But now, Kulve Taroth was draped in artistry from head to tail. She was still a radiant, brilliant gold, but this light was far more dazzling than before.
It was no wonder; under Asterion's guidance, Kulve Taroth's new robe could be described as "gaudy" in the best way. She was covered in decorations from head to toe—gold-carved flowers and leaves. Driven by her love for beauty, she had painstakingly carved every single flower, even including the vines.
Not to mention the large swathes of golden ribbons and golden lace. It was these layered, dense decorations that reflected off one another under the orange glow of the subterranean magma, ultimately making Kulve Taroth look more radiant and beautiful than ever.
"Roar!" (Stunning! This is what I call beauty!)
Asterion offered his praise without hesitation. That's right—this was his aesthetic!
"Roar, roar!" (I think so too! Thank you... it's so beautiful. I have to show them!!)
The "them" she referred to were the other Kulve Taroths active in the Leyline Corridors who had created other "El Dorados." This species of Elder Dragon wasn't unique, and the population was mostly female... at least, all the Kulve Taroths the Research Commission had seen in the game were female, and they hadn't figured out how they reproduced yet.
Kulve Taroth's response was a bit over-excited. Asterion wanted to laugh; he could guess why she wanted to show off to her own kind without even thinking. Women!
"Roar, roar." (Of course, you are definitely the most beautiful of them all. By the way, could I trouble you to take me to the Elder's Recess? I have something very important to do.)
Namely, to gorge on energy. The mountain-sized energy crystals in the Elder's Recess weren't just for show—they were pure, living bio-energy. The kind you could absorb just by swallowing.
Asterion's eyes practically turned green with greed just thinking about it.
"Roar, roar!" (Of course, no problem!)
Kulve Taroth agreed immediately, but she didn't say anything more—like when they would leave or how far it was... instead, she leaned closer to Asterion, lifting her now-golden tail and pressing it against his.
The temperature in El Dorado seemed to become even more sultry for a moment. Seeing the look in Kulve Taroth's eyes as she watched him, Asterion suddenly understood.
As they say, a dragon's life isn't easy, and a true kindred spirit is hard to find. Asterion turned his head and rubbed his short horns against Kulve Taroth's spiraling gold ones. He was surprised to find that after the Dragon Gem formed in his body, his size had unconsciously grown to be almost identical to Kulve Taroth's.
In that case...
Ahem!
————
Supporting me on Pa-treon to gain early access to advanced chapters and enjoy expedited updates. Your support is greatly appreciated.
pat-reon .c-om/Dragonhair
(Just remove the hyphen - and space, to access Pa-treon normally.)