Reborn as a Dragon:Rise of The Draconic King-Chapter 70 - 66: Visitors at the Edge of Greenwood
Morning came slowly to Greenwood.
The first light of dawn slipped through the endless canopy, turning the mist between the trees into ribbons of gold. Dew dripped quietly from leaves high above the village platforms, falling in slow, gentle drops to the forest floor far below.
For most of Greenwood’s history, mornings like this were completely ordinary.
But today felt different.
Not tense.
Just... watchful.
Word about the human adventurers had spread quickly the previous night. No one panicked—Greenwood’s warriors were far too disciplined for that—but the entire village had become more alert.
Scouts had been posted throughout the outer forest.
And several warriors had chosen not to sleep much.
---
John noticed.
The dragon slowly opened one golden eye.
He was still resting in his usual place beside the central clearing. The reinforced platform beneath him creaked softly as he shifted his massive body, stretching one wing outward like a cat waking from a nap.
The wood groaned slightly under the movement.
Nearby, someone sighed.
"Careful with that wing."
John turned his head.
Lythriel sat on the edge of the platform railing, legs hanging over the side as she watched the sunrise.
She had clearly been awake for a while.
"You’re up early," John said.
She shrugged.
"Couldn’t sleep."
"Humans?"
"Partly."
John stretched his neck lazily.
"Twelve humans don’t seem worth losing sleep over."
"That’s easy for you to say."
He looked amused.
"You think they’re dangerous?"
Lythriel tilted her head.
"...Humans are unpredictable."
"That’s not the same as dangerous."
"It is when they’re desperate."
John hummed quietly.
That answer seemed to satisfy him.
Below them, the village was already stirring.
Warriors moved across rope bridges toward the training grounds. A few archers were already testing their bows. Others spoke quietly among themselves as they prepared for patrols.
But every now and then—
Someone glanced toward the eastern forest.
And toward the massive black dragon sitting in the middle of their village.
Lythriel noticed that too.
"...You know they’re here because of you, right?"
John blinked slowly.
"That seems to be the general theory."
"And you’re still not worried."
He looked at her.
"Should I be?"
"That depends."
"On what?"
"On why they’re here."
John thought about that.
"Greed."
"That’s a guess."
"It’s usually correct."
She smiled slightly.
"You’ve clearly met a lot of adventurers."
John snorted.
"More than enough."
---
Across the village—
Commander Aerion stood on one of the upper observation platforms, watching the forest carefully.
Two scouts climbed up the ladder behind him.
They both looked tired.
Aerion didn’t turn around.
"Report."
One of them spoke immediately.
"They stopped moving around midnight."
Aerion finally glanced back.
"Camp?"
"Yes."
"Distance?"
"About five kilometers east of the village."
Aerion nodded slowly.
"That’s closer than I expected."
The second scout added,
"They’re being careful."
"How so?"
"They’re avoiding monster territories. They’re following the river paths."
Aerion’s expression tightened slightly.
"That suggests experience."
"Exactly."
The first scout crossed his arms.
"They’re not amateurs."
Aerion looked back toward the forest again.
"...Adventurers with experience rarely travel in groups that large."
"Unless they’re hunting something big."
The three elves stood quietly for a moment.
Then the second scout said carefully,
"They’re definitely tracking something."
Aerion already knew the answer.
"...The dragon."
---
Later that morning—
Sylvara’s healer hall smelled strongly of herbs and crushed leaves.
Bundles of plants hung from wooden beams overhead while glass containers filled with glowing mixtures lined the shelves.
John ducked slightly as he stepped inside.
The doorway had been widened recently.
Not that it helped much.
"You’re early," Sylvara said without looking up.
She was grinding a mixture of dried roots with a stone mortar.
"I’m always early."
"You’re usually sleeping."
"That still counts as being early."
She rolled her eyes slightly.
John leaned against the doorway again, careful not to knock anything over this time.
"What are you making today?"
Sylvara continued grinding.
"A calming tonic."
"For who?"
"For the warriors."
John looked mildly surprised.
"They seem calm."
"They *look* calm."
"That’s different?"
"Yes."
She finished grinding the mixture and poured it carefully into a small glass bottle.
"Most of them have never seen a dragon before," she continued. "Then you arrived."
John shrugged.
"I didn’t ask for a welcoming party."
"And now human adventurers are approaching the forest looking for you."
"That’s still not my fault."
Sylvara smiled faintly. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
"Technically correct."
John lowered his head slightly to examine the glowing liquid in her bottle.
"Will that actually calm them down?"
"It helps reduce anxiety."
John thought about that.
"Do you have one for dragons?"
She laughed softly.
"No."
"That’s disappointing."
"You don’t seem very anxious."
"I might be bored."
"That’s not the same thing."
John smirked.
"Sometimes it is."
---
Outside the healer hall—
Lythriel and Aerion were arguing quietly.
"...I’m just saying we should watch them longer," Lythriel said.
Aerion shook his head.
"If they continue moving this direction they’ll eventually reach the village."
"Not necessarily."
"The river path leads directly here."
Lythriel frowned.
"That’s unfortunate."
Aerion looked thoughtful.
"Perhaps we should guide them away."
"How?"
He glanced toward the healer hall.
"...With help."
John stepped outside at that exact moment.
Both elves turned toward him.
John paused.
"...Why do I feel like I just became part of this conversation?"
Lythriel smiled.
"Because you did."
"That’s suspicious."
Aerion spoke calmly.
"The human group may reach the outer forest perimeter by tomorrow."
John nodded.
"That sounds likely."
"We would prefer if they didn’t discover the village."
"Understandable."
Lythriel crossed her arms.
"They’re tracking dragon mana."
John blinked.
"Oh."
"That’s you."
"Yes."
"That means if they continue following the trail..."
"They’ll eventually find this place."
John considered that for a moment.
"...That would be awkward."
Lythriel raised an eyebrow.
"Awkward?"
"Yes."
"You’re a dragon."
"Correct."
"They’re dragon hunters."
"Yes."
"That’s not awkward."
John shrugged.
"It is for them."
Aerion chuckled quietly.
Lythriel sighed.
"You’re impossible to take seriously."
"I take myself very seriously."
"That’s the problem."
---
The three of them began walking slowly toward the edge of the village.
John moved carefully along the reinforced platforms, his claws clicking softly against the wood.
A few villagers stepped aside politely as he passed.
Some of them even waved now.
That still amused him.
"You’ve gotten popular," Lythriel said.
John glanced at the villagers.
"They stopped running away."
"That’s progress."
Aerion added calmly,
"Fear fades when people realize something isn’t going to eat them."
John looked mildly offended.
"I never threatened anyone."
"You’re a twenty-meter dragon."
"That shouldn’t automatically imply eating people."
"It usually does."
John thought about that.
"...Fair."
---
They reached the outer viewing platform overlooking the forest.
From here the endless sea of trees stretched to the horizon.
Somewhere out there—
Twelve humans were moving closer.
Lythriel leaned against the railing.
"What do you think they’ll do when they find you?"
John answered immediately.
"Attack."
Aerion nodded.
"That’s likely."
"Why?"
"Adventurers gain fame by killing powerful monsters."
John smirked slightly.
"That sounds like a difficult career choice."
"It’s profitable."
"For the ones who survive."
Lythriel looked at John carefully.
"You’re not planning to go hunt them, are you?"
John blinked.
"...I hadn’t considered it."
"Good."
"Why?"
"Because we don’t want a battlefield outside the village."
John tilted his head.
"I didn’t say I’d fight here."
"That’s still a fight."
"Yes."
She rubbed her temple.
"You enjoy this too much."
John grinned.
"I enjoy interesting mornings."
---
Hours passed.
The village continued its daily routines, though the watchful atmosphere remained.
Scouts rotated through observation posts.
Warriors continued training.
Sylvara treated minor injuries and prepared supplies.
And John...
Mostly wandered around talking to people.
That was something none of them expected two weeks ago.
---
Near the training grounds—
A young warrior named Kaelen was practicing archery again.
He pulled the bowstring back carefully.
Focused.
Released.
The arrow flew across the clearing.
And struck the target perfectly.
Kaelen grinned.
"Finally!"
John, who had been watching nearby, nodded approvingly.
"Better."
Kaelen jumped slightly.
"I didn’t see you there."
"You were concentrating."
"That was the idea."
John lowered his head slightly to examine the target.
"Your stance improved."
Kaelen blinked.
"You can tell?"
"Yes."
"That’s surprising."
"Why?"
"You’re a dragon."
John looked mildly annoyed.
"I still have eyes."
"...Fair point."
---
Later that afternoon—
Another scout arrived at the village.
This time he looked more serious.
Aerion met him immediately.
"They moved again," the scout reported.
"Direction?"
"West."
"That’s toward us."
"Yes."
Aerion exhaled slowly.
"How far now?"
"...Three kilometers."
Lythriel groaned.
"That’s basically our front yard."
John perked up slightly.
"Oh?"
Aerion looked at him.
"...Don’t."
"I didn’t say anything."
"You were thinking it."
"Probably."
---
That evening—
The central fire burned brightly again.
Villagers gathered nearby, though the mood was quieter tonight.
Everyone knew the humans were close now.
Very close.
John rested beside the fire as usual, his tail curled around the edge of the clearing.
Lythriel sat across from him.
Sylvara worked beside the firelight, organizing herb bundles.
Aerion stood nearby watching the forest.
Finally Lythriel spoke.
"They’ll reach the outer valley tomorrow."
John nodded.
"That sounds about right."
"And then what?"
John looked at the flames.
"...That depends on them."
Sylvara looked up.
"You’re not planning to kill them immediately, are you?"
"I rarely kill people immediately."
"That’s not reassuring."
John shrugged.
"If they attack me, I’ll respond."
Aerion nodded slowly.
"That’s reasonable."
Lythriel looked skeptical.
"You’re defining ’reasonable’ very loosely."
John smiled.
"Possibly."
---
Far away—
The twelve adventurers sat around their own campfire.
Their leader studied a map.
"The mana trail leads through this valley," he said.
One of the mages nodded.
"I can feel it stronger every hour."
Another adventurer whispered excitedly,
"A dragon..."
The leader smiled slowly.
"Yes."
Tomorrow—
They would finally find it.
---
Back in Greenwood—
John stared into the dark forest.
His golden eyes gleamed faintly in the firelight.
Tomorrow was going to be interesting.
And for the first time in a while—
The quiet forest might finally see a real disturbance.
---
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