The dragon's scales were thick and layered, a deep iron-black color. Their surfaces were covered in fine serrated textures, resembling forged metal blanks, as if cast from steel and iron. At its joints were exoskeleton-like metallic protrusions, and a layer of heavy, shark-fin-like spines ran down its back.
It simply sat quietly atop the high platform.
Its wings and limbs were not fully extended; its massive physique was in a retracted state.
But even so,
an overwhelming sense of pressure still came rushing toward him.
The destruction and ruin such a dragon would cause when enraged was bone-chilling just to think about.
The dragon was watching Garros with black dragon pupils, identical to those of Garros.
This was Garros's mother—the Iron Dragon Mother, Laetitia.
"Mother."
The Young Dragon lowered its head, greeting the dragon on the high platform.
The Iron Dragon Mother was a very traditional Iron Dragon. She believed in no dragon gods, was Lawful Evil, held efficiency and pragmatism as her highest principles, followed a strictly hierarchical lifestyle, and desired to build a world dominated by Dragonkin and ruled by Iron Dragons. She possessed a very strong sense of class consciousness.
In her eyes, even her offspring could not overstep their bounds.
They had to follow her rules and show her respect and awe.
"Garros, my child, the crystallization of flame and steel."
The Iron Dragon Mother looked down at Garros, her eyes lowered, and spoke in a cold, magnetic voice: "Six lunar cycles have been enough for a Hatchling to shed its soft scales. Now, your armor is as hard as iron."
Her voice sounded like sandpaper rubbing against a steel ingot, every syllable making the metal particles in the air hum in resonance.
Garros nodded, thinking to himself that things were looking bad.
Based on age, Dragonkin are divided into many age categories.
For example, ages 1-5 are Hatchlings. During this period, a Hatchling receives protection from its mother, including food, safety, shelter, and so on.
Further up, ages 6-12 are the Young Dragon stage.
Evil Dragons have rather indifferent familial affection and little interest in raising offspring.
When their offspring reach the Young Dragon stage, Evil Dragons often choose to drive them out, forcing them to leave their territory and live on their own.
Garros had an older dragon brother who had been driven out two years ago; his current fate was unknown.
As for himself, Garros had long anticipated this day's arrival, though he hadn't expected it to come so soon.
This magical world was not safe. Supernatural creatures weren't limited to Dragonkin, and magical power was not exclusive to them either. Furthermore, because every part of a dragon's body was a top-tier Material, they were highly coveted.
Dragons of adult age and above were fine; they possessed powerful strength and could protect themselves.
But a Young Dragon?
Comparing them to humans, a Young Dragon was equivalent to a toddler who could barely stand and walked unsteadily. For a Young Dragon alone in the world without protection, danger was everywhere, and survival was incredibly difficult.
The mortality rate for the offspring of Evil Dragons before reaching adulthood was extremely high.
Garros felt it was completely unreasonable to drive out offspring during the Young Dragon stage to live alone; no wonder the Dragon Clan was gradually declining.
Moreover,
he suspected that it was precisely because of these harsh survival experiences in childhood that Evil Dragons developed such violent and cruel personalities upon reaching adulthood.
"When I was your age, my claws and fangs were not as sharp as yours,"
the Iron Dragon Mother continued, "and my armor was not as sturdy as yours, yet I had already left my mother's protection and possessed a territory of my own."
When mentioning her own territory, her eyes flickered, and her tone lacked confidence.
That so-called 'territory' was actually just a stinking ditch.
The Iron Dragon Mother's face was covered in steel-like fine scales; she was thick-skinned and her expression remained normal.
She leaned her massive body back slightly and said, "Garros, it is time for you to leave this place and begin a life of your own."
"Before tomorrow's dawn, your scales should no longer touch the dust of this place."
As expected, she wants to drive me out.
This is a damn bad habit. You can't just tear up someone else's umbrella because you got rained on, Dragon Mother!
Hearing the Iron Dragon Mother's words, Garros felt a chill in his heart.
At the same time, two irrepressible low chuckles came from behind.
Red Dragon Sister and the newly arrived Iron Dragon Brother, two five-year-old Hatchlings, both looked at Garros with gloating eyes, their tails swishing behind them, clearly in a very pleasant mood.
Due to their nature as Evil Dragons, the two of them frequently provoked Garros on a daily basis, only to be beaten up by him time and again.
They both very much hoped Garros would be driven out.
"Two idiots. Haven't they realized that I am what they will be in a year?"
Garros shook his head slightly, too lazy to argue with fools.
These two Hatchlings only cared about the present and hadn't thought about the future at all.
Raising his lowered head, Garros looked at the Iron Dragon Mother and said, "Mother, I hope to stay in your territory for a while longer. I am not yet prepared."
The Iron Dragon Mother spread one of her wings, and shadow instantly swallowed half the nest.
She refused categorically: "No."
Garros had anticipated today's situation, so he sighed and said, "I originally intended to trade treasures for food and protection. Since Mother's mind is so set, then let's forget it."
As his voice fell, Garros shook his head and turned to leave.
Treasures?
The Iron Dragon Mother's pupils instantly narrowed into slits.
"My dear Garros, wait!"
Normal Dragonkin cannot refuse treasures.
Garros knew this well—treasures were the weakness of almost all dragons, and the Iron Dragon Mother was no exception.
She had a rigid and traditional personality, believing a six-year-old Young Dragon should live alone, but well, there are exceptions to everything. The Iron Dragon Mother was also a standard pragmatist; if Garros could bring her treasures, she wouldn't mind continuing to house this offspring.
Her cold, hard expression softened considerably.
The Iron Dragon Mother asked pleasantly, "Where did you get treasures, and how much are you willing to exchange for food and protection?"
Garros brought his four limbs together and sat on the ground, looking up at the massive Iron Dragon. He said unhurriedly, "I have a keen perception of minerals, especially precious metal Ores. My perception of them is quite clear."
"I can guarantee you at least three pieces of precious metal Ore weighing over ten pounds each month."
"And you will need to provide me with protection, as well as the same high-quality bloody food as before."
The bloody food the Iron Dragon Mother could provide consisted of high-Rank magical beasts, which Garros would have difficulty obtaining on his own at present.
Garros needed high-quality bloody food very much; his Adaptive Evolution talent did not create things out of thin air and required sufficient energy during the evolution process.
Hearing Garros's words, the Iron Dragon Mother nodded slightly.
Reasonable.
Iron Dragons do have a natural talent for sensitivity to metal Ores, though this talent rarely appears in Young Dragons.
"You are willing to go mining?"
Dragons are naturally proud. Mining is something for servants and slaves; dragons generally disdain doing it personally.
When it came to treasures, the Iron Dragon Mother adopted a calculating expression and said, "If you want to use my servants to mine for you, that will cost extra. The specific amount will be discussed based on the Rank of the servants you wish to use."
Rank refers to Biological Rank.
This is the most direct reference for distinguishing individual strength levels. For example, Garros's current Biological Rank is 7. At this level, among Young Dragons of the same age, he is on par with a Gold Dragon, or even superior to an average one.
Under normal circumstances, both Red Dragons and Iron Dragons are weaker than Gold Dragons at the same age.
Compared to a White Dragon among the Chromatic Dragons, the average Biological Rank at age six is only around Rank 3.
"No need. I have two Mine Slaves I can command, and with me personally spurring them on, their mining efficiency shouldn't be low."
Garros rejected the Iron Dragon Mother's suggestion.
Two Mine Slaves? Red Dragon Sister and Iron Dragon Brother looked surprised.
"When did Garros get two Mine Slaves?"
Red Dragon Sister lowered her voice and asked the Iron Dragon Brother beside her.
"I don't know either."
Iron Dragon Brother shook his head, his eyes clear and clueless.
The two Hatchlings looked at each other, racking their brains, unable to imagine where Garros had found two Mine Slaves.