The ironwood trees towered, and the noontime sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, forming patches of mottled light and shadow on the Red Iron Young Dragon's body.
"Master, taming the Earth Bear group will allow you to establish yourself in the wilderness more quickly."
Möbel said gruffly.
Galos scrutinized the sycophantic Violent Bear in front of him, his tail lightly tapping the ground, lost in thought.
Möbel's suggestion seemed loyal but actually held hidden motives.
——It wanted to use Galos to eliminate the old Violent Bear and then replace it, becoming the leader of the bear group.
After all, it had not undergone Dragon Vein Transformation.
Followers like this had loyalty tied to interests.
Galos didn't mind this.
Sometimes, followers with desires and selfish motives are easier to manipulate and control; if they have no desires, the probability of betrayal is actually higher.
Besides.
Every intelligent being has a degree of selfishness, a pursuit of personal interests.
Galos could accept Möbel's little schemes.
It was willing to follow him, and hadn't fled when he had left earlier, because it believed following him promised a brighter future and broader prospects.
However.
Appropriate warning was necessary.
The Violent Bear in front appeared simple and honest, its bear face looking sincere, but in reality, it was cunning and intelligent, much smarter than his Brother Long and Dragon siblings.
"You are my first follower; once I tame the bear group, I will entrust them all to your management."
Jalos said with a faint smile, uttering words that filled Möbel's bear face with joy.
"Thank you for trusting me, Dragon Lord. I will ensure their loyalty and meet your expectations!"
The Violent Bear's eyes shone brightly, patting its chest with a loud, echoing sound.
"But."
Galos suddenly changed his tone, his gaze becoming icy as he spoke in a low voice: "You want management authority, which I can give, but you must bear the corresponding responsibility."
"If the bear group shows even a hint of resistance or betrayal, I will break your bear legs first."
Möbel's bear ears twitched, a flicker of fear appearing in its eyes.
"Um… Great Dragon Lord, I suddenly don't want to be the leader of the bear group anymore. After you tame them, I can coexist with them equally."
Möbel scratched his head, grinning awkwardly with his bear face.
"The bear group still needs a leader, and I've decided it's you. This is not up for discussion."
Galos concluded the matter decisively.
Möbel wore a bitter face, torn between fear of managing mistakes leading to punishment and the ambition to become the leader of the bear group.
Back then, after being severely injured and thrown out like garbage for secretly courting a young female bear, it swore to reclaim what was lost and dominate all the female bears eventually.
Ten years east of the ridge, ten years west of the ridge, do not belittle a poor young bear!
Ambition ultimately overshadowed fear.
"Thank you for your trust; it will be my honor."
Möbel lowered his head, speaking softly.
The sun slowly sank westward, gradually embraced by the distant mountains, night replacing the dusky twilight, enveloping the sky in its boundless reach.
Amid the thick night, the Red Iron Young Dragon stretched its wings high in the clouds, soaring swiftly, the wind whipping through its immense and powerful wings, rustling loudly as they swung.
Soon after.
Galos hovered above the mountain ridge, gazing down below.
The dense needle-leaved forest on the mountain ridge came into view, with abundant and flourishing trees, and the ridge was somewhat low, not particularly towering.
This was the Bear group's habitat.
Galos circled in the sky, his gaze sweeping inch by inch over the ridge and needle-leaved forest, quickly spotting an unnatural clearing at the foot of the mountain, along with many dark caves — precisely the bear group's nests.
Though it was late at night, the bear group was not resting in the nests.
Bears that resembled Möbel were on the clearing in front of the caves.
Scratching their backs against the rocks, napping on the ground, grinding their teeth on sharp stones… and four or five bear cubs with short legs chasing and playing.
Among these Violent Bears.
One stood particularly tall and robust.
Its shoulder height exceeded ten meters, with thick and strong bear arms, a stout body and waist, resembling a bear-shaped hill, merely sitting on the ground exuding an air of danger.
In terms of size, this Violent Bear surpasses Galos greatly.
Moreover, its fur was different from ordinary Earth Bears; besides the deep yellow hair like rocks, there were strands of dark red fur, fluttering in the wind like wavering flames.
This Violent Bear seemed to possess both Earth Element and Fire Element.
Its identity was clear — this was the Bear Leader.
Life Level Investigation Technique!
A dim glow flickered in the black Dragon Eyes of Galos, gazing at the Bear Leader.
Life Level: 10
At the same time, the 10th-level Bear Leader seemed to sense something, suddenly raising its head, gazing towards the night sky, its eyes penetrating the veil of clouds, accurately locking onto Galos.
Roar!
Standing its sturdy form, the Bear Leader's fur bristled, appearing even more robust, roaring a thunderous, deep sound.
It had discovered the presence of the Red Iron Young Dragon.
As the roar sounded, the bear cubs seemed to receive a signal, each running back to the caves under the protection of the female bears.
The entire bear group became alert.
"The 10th-level Bear Leader, its perception sharper than the magical creatures I've encountered before."
Galos circled in the sky, gazing down at the bear group, weighing his options internally.
Thus far, the highest-level vicious beast Galos had hunted was level 8.
Some were strong, some weak; the weak couldn't withstand even one strike from Galos, while the strong could entangle briefly with him, leaving a few minor scars.
Beyond, at levels 9 and 10 vicious beasts.
Galos had never encountered.
Life level couldn't fully measure combat power but is quite a valuable reference.
On average, each life level offers a substantial enhancement; a low-level life form isn't necessarily weak, but a high-level one is certainly formidable; the higher the life level, the stronger it is.
Level 10… This equates to the average level of a 25-year-old young Red Dragon.
Of course, a level 10 Red Dragon is definitely stronger than an Earth Bear, but a level comparable to a young Red Dragon also signifies that the Bear Leader is a formidable magical creature.
Facing the 10th-level Bear Leader, Galos had no absolute confidence.
If a fight broke out, perhaps he could win in the end.
But getting injured was inevitable, and the wounds could be quite severe.
Indeed, severe injuries could further stimulate Galos's adaptive evolution, yet the risk was high; currently, he lacked a protective stronghold, had no retreat; encountering a strong enemy during recovery would place him in an exceedingly perilous situation.
Sel Wilderness holds too many dangers.
Powerful magical creatures and vicious beasts abound, and even the armies of the various nations of the Lothern Federation are stationed.
Even unintelligent beasts know to avoid getting hurt during a hunt.
Compared to immediate thrills and dangers, Galos seeks a safer path for growth, striving to live longer; he's still young, merely a seven-year-old young dragon, with exceptional talent and bright prospects, having no need to hasten.
"Now isn't the best time; I can't guarantee a win."
"I'll wait a little longer; I'm close to breaking to level 8."
Galos didn't continue to linger.
He swept his dragon wings swiftly, disappearing into the night.
Watching the figure of the Dragon Race depart, the Bear Leader also withdrew its gaze.
On its bear face, no hint of heaviness or tension appeared; it didn't return to the cave, instead, directly lying down to nap on the clearing ahead, appearing very relaxed.
Judging by Galos's size, he was merely a small young dragon.
It wasn't afraid of young dragons; if a young dragon dared to cause trouble here, it was a mere bear paw's task; should the opponent seek death, it wouldn't mind tasting dragon meat's flavor.