The Vastness of Magical Destiny

The growth of the two young Earthwalking Dragons was quite pleasing. These two creatures had an astonishing appetite. Although they were omnivores, their need for meat was still predominant, consuming up to thirty kilograms of beef and mutton daily, supplemented by an equal quantity of grains and fodder. However, these Earthwalking Dragons also had a significant advantage: their ability to endure hunger and thirst was incredibly strong. As long as they were well-fed, they could continue to run swiftly without eating for a week, which was the main reason Komer initially took interest in them.

Although Ilot longed to become a Dragon Warrior or a Dragon Knight, he hesitated for a long time because of these particular dragons and eventually gave up the idea. From among the mortal soldiers, four loyal and reliable individuals were selected to become junior Earth Dragon Warriors. The requirements for Dragon Warriors were extremely strict, particularly the demand for physical, especially arm, strength. Mortal soldiers inherently lagged behind the Barbarians and Half-Beastmen in their physical constitution. Their advantage lay in fast learning and adaptability, allowing them to integrate with the Earthwalking Dragons more quickly. However, they indeed faced many obstacles concerning physical strength. Fortunately, it was not too difficult to find one or two mortal soldiers accustomed to the intense physical labor in the mines who displayed exceptional strength and arm power. The birth of the four junior Dragon Warriors might not have been sufficient for actual combat, yet it signified that the military forces of Caucasus seemed to have entered a new realm.

When the four junior Dragon Warriors patrolled the streets of Ugru on their not yet fully mature Earthwalking Dragons, nearly the whole of Ugru was abuzz. The titles "Dragon Warrior" and "Dragon Knight" seemed to have not appeared in people’s memories for a long time. Currently, it appeared no country or city on the Blue Continent, other than the Barbarians, possessed Dragon Warriors or Dragon Knights. And now, Caucasus became the first to boast such things whose renown exceeded their ability.

The patrol of the Earth Dragon Warriors had a significant deterrent effect on the social order of Ugru. So much so that Judicial Officer Reese asked Komer to agree to dispatch the four Dragon Warriors to the Leon Region, where the social order was most precarious, for surveillance. However, given the great distance, even if the sturdy and enduring Earthwalking Dragons were to travel there, completing a patrol mission would take at least a month. Yet, for the purpose of training the Earth Dragon Warriors, Komer still issued the order to have the Earth Dragon Warriors patrol the Leon Region.

Two Earthwalking Dragons clearly could not fulfill Komer’s needs. Although Shatima regarded these creatures, which she deemed very inferior, with disdain, for all of Caucasus, forming a small team of Dragon Warriors would greatly boost the confidence of Caucasus both psychologically and practically. Therefore, Komer sent out letters to the barbarians’ three Jia Tribes again, requesting that each tribe provide another young dragon.

It should be said that Komer had substantial strength to back him up when he sent the request. The opening of the Catania River navigation route meant that Caucasus no longer had to worry about food security. This indirectly also influenced the Barbarians’ attitude to the south.

The issue of food had always been the greatest concern for Barbarians. Their greatest worry each year did not come from outsiders but from the fear of climate change. On the Cordillera Wilderness, there were not many places suitable for growing food, and the Barbarians were not adept at farming. In bountiful years, relying on the food obtained from hunting and some farming, as well as a portion from smuggling, the Barbarians could barely make ends meet. However, in years of disaster, primarily drought, the crops could fail entirely, and the drought could significantly affect the production of the three most important meat providers on the Wilderness: pouch rabbits, yellow deer, and pan sheep.

These three animals had massive populations on the Cordillera Wilderness and were the main food sources for the Barbarians. Their significance was akin to wheat for mortals. They fed primarily on the grass and shrubs of the Wilderness, so during a drought, the grass and shrubs would largely die off, resulting in a significant reduction of these animals and directly leading to a food shortage for the Barbarians. In such cases, the Barbarians had no choice but to import food from outside. Apart from the somewhat more lenient Homer region, the other southern and western ethnic nations strictly limited the export of food to the Cordillera Wilderness. Each severe disaster would cause the population of thirteen Barbarian tribes to drop by at least ten percent. Starvation was a significant cause of death, and the subsequent plagues also caused extensive harm to the Barbarians.