Chapter 334 - Silver Dragon Erebard
The queen ant released a wave of pheromones that signaled safety, and the swarm immediately halted its assault on the icy barrier.
Han Wu slid his dagger back into its sheath. “No need to stay on guard. We’re safe now. I’ve struck a deal with the queen, and she won’t harm us.”
Leng Ning stared in disbelief. The idea of a man conversing with an ant was absurd, laughable even, yet the evidence lay before her. The ants outside the cavern had stopped their relentless attack.
Han Wu used Vigor on the queen ant. The frost encasing her abdomen melted away in moments, but the eggs within her body had long since perished in the cold.
Meng Qi sauntered over and displayed his newest Skill, Dragon Armor. Shimmering scales wrapped around his body until he stood like a war general returning from a campaign. He rocked side to side, admiring the fit. “Well? Do I look good?”
Han Wu rolled his eyes. “I’m not looking at you.”
Meng Qi sighed inwardly. Han Wu had clearly misunderstood him, and there was no way to explain it.
With no need to guard the entrance, Leng Ning finally turned her attention to the dragon aura sealed within the massive bone. She had already reached the Inferior Elite rank and required more Assist Points to unlock another Skill. Thankfully, the bone held more than enough to meet her needs.
After absorbing the dragon aura, her rank rose to Intermediate Elite, and with it, her existing Skills transformed.
Icicle became Frost Fang, sharper and deadlier than before. Blizzard evolved into Frost Dragon Blizzard, which blanketed a vast area in killing cold. Frost Gaze grew into Frost Dragon Gaze, retaining its original effect while adding a dragon’s intimidation that weakened its target. Ice Laser turned into Frost Dragon Breath, now an area-of-effect attack that unleashed devastating force.
Finally, she obtained a new Skill called Frost Dragon Possession. It allowed her to summon the spirit of a frost dragon into her own body, bolstering her physical and magical defenses while amplifying every Skill she wielded.
Meng Qi couldn’t hide his awe as he watched. Leng Ning’s transformation was nothing short of rebirth. Even she struggled to believe the scale of her own growth. Every one of her Skills now bore the mark of a dragon, and her strength had multiplied tenfold.
When she finished, it was Han Wu’s turn. He placed his hands on the ancient bone, and his mind was instantly wrenched into a vast void. A colossal dragon towered before him, its body stretching for tens of thousands of meters. Each movement shattered mountains, and every beat of its wings unleashed typhoons that ravaged the land.
Han Wu doubted he could defeat such a powerful beast even if he summoned every unit from his divine realm.
The Great Dragon sensed his presence, and a solemn voice echoed in his mind. “Great Defier, is that you?”
At first Han Wu thought he was imagining things, yet the dragon truly addressed him as the Great Defier. He remembered his first meeting with Alpheus, who always introduced himself with that same title. Clearly, it carried great weight among the Great Dragons.
Han Wu answered with caution, “I am the Great Defier.”
The Great Dragon’s voice rang with delight. “A brilliant idea, hiding the power of the Great Defier in a human form. That way those thieving bastards cannot find it. Great Defier, will you accept the powers of the silver dragon Erebard?”
Han Wu’s eyes lit up with excitement because the silver dragon sounded powerful. There was no reason to reject its powers. “I accept.”
“Very well.” With a jubilant roar, Erebard soared toward Han Wu, and the remaining dragon aura within the massive bone fused seamlessly into his body.
Meng Qi and Leng Ning froze in shock. Both Han Wu and the massive dragon bone glowed simultaneously.
The bone shone as it fused with Han Wu’s body. The light faded only after the fusion was complete. Even the queen ant watched in astonishment. She knew the bone’s value—she had spent years drawing its power to produce countless ants and secure her dominion within Dragon Seal. Yet she had never managed to access the dragon bone’s core energy.
Han Wu achieved in mere hours what she could not in years. Her respect for him deepened, and her faith grew stronger.
Meanwhile, Han Wu remained unaware of the events unfolding outside as he was fully absorbed in assimilating the new power. Erebard’s energy flowed into his Life Aspect, intertwining with it and showing signs of merging. From that moment, his Skills started to mutate.
Fireball, empowered by Erebard’s energy, evolved into Dragon Fireball. It had grown ten times larger while retaining the effects of Blood Fuel and Black Flames. Life Shield transformed into Dragon Shield, keeping its original effects but becoming thicker and ten times stronger defensively. Vigor developed into Silver Strength, which dramatically enhanced its target’s potential and granted Han Wu the ability to temporarily transform into a silver dragon, boosting his combat prowess.
Finally, he obtained a new Skill called Contract: Silver Dragon Erebard. This was the product of the fusion between Erebard and Han Wu’s Life Aspect. By channeling the Life Aspect’s power into Erebard’s will, Han Wu could resurrect Erebard as a hatchling.
Unfortunately, the hatchling’s strength was reduced to that of a standard Great Dragon hatchling, and all memories and Skills had been sealed. Erebard would need time and growth to unlock them. Even so, the Skill was immensely powerful. Summoning a Great Dragon ranked among the most powerful abilities in most civilizations.
Han Wu eagerly summoned Erebard with the Skill. A small gate opened beside him, and the creature tumbled out. The hatchling was barely a meter long and freshly resurrected, so it struggled to control its wings. It nearly crashed into the wall, but Han Wu reacted quickly and caught it midair.
Leng Ning and Meng Qi leaned forward, eyes wide with curiosity and admiration. The dragon was undeniably adorable.
“My good friend, is this your new Skill? What is this creature?” Meng Qi asked.
Leng Ning reached out to touch Erebard’s head. “It’s so cute.”
“This is a Great Dragon hatchling,” Han Wu said calmly.
“A Great Dragon?” Meng Qi frowned, skeptical. He had reason to be—until now, the Assist Civilization had only legends and folklore of Great Dragons, with no concrete proof of their existence.
Leng Ning believed Han Wu’s claim. “Can I hug it?”
Han Wu nodded and let Erebard settle into Leng Ning’s embrace. The hatchling had no knowledge of its parents, so it allowed anyone to hold it. It curled against Leng Ning and soaked in her warmth.
Meng Qi stared in disbelief but had no choice but to trust Han Wu. He nudged Han Wu with his elbow. “My friend, I’ve dreamed of becoming a dragon rider since I was young. Could I ride it once it grows bigger? I want to show it off to everyone.”
Han Wu glanced at the hatchling and thought that it would take years to grow large enough. “We’ll see.”
“Hehe, you really are my friend. Becoming a dragon rider is my greatest wish. You have to help me,” Meng Qi pressed.
Han Wu rolled his eyes. As if I’m that gullible. Today’s the first time you’ve seen a Great Dragon. How can that be your greatest wish?
Han Wu decided to throw the ball into Meng Qi’s court. “Sure, but you need to earn its acknowledgement first.”
Meng Qi grinned. “Of course. I’ll do my best to convince it.”
He scooped up one of the ant eggs and held it near Erebard. “Here you go, little buddy. Time to eat something nutritious. In exchange, let me ride you once you’re older.”
The queen ant’s face remained expressionless, but its outrage radiated straight into Han Wu’s mind. “You brute! How dare you try to feed my child to the dragon?!”
If not for Han Wu, the queen would have ordered her soldiers to tear Meng Qi apart just to satisfy her fury.