The Paladin in the Abyss-Chapter 524 - 548 Dragons Latter Years
Chapter 524: Chapter 548 Dragons’ Latter Years Chapter 524: Chapter 548 Dragons’ Latter Years “Uh, is that so?” Lancelot’s face showed a troubled expression, “In past battles, your magic has always played a key role…”
“Haha, don’t be so downhearted, our magic is unlikely to have any effect on an adult dragon, but we can still use it on ourselves.” The Elf Priest chuckled and waved his hand, “My Blessing Divine Art can make you hit more accurately and dodge quicker, while the Healing Divine Art will ensure that your bodies are always in the best condition. Kalalin has a whole array of Enhancement Spells, including Jump Spell, Enlarge Spell, Haste Spell, Striding, and Greater Illusion. I’m sure he will choose the most suitable spell according to the situation.”
“I understand,” Lancelot nodded and passed over another skewer of meat, “As long as the spell’s target isn’t the dragon itself, it should still work normally, right?”
“Absolutely correct,” Alamir positioned the new skewers on the grill, “Continuing our discussion. Dragons, after reaching four hundred years of age, complete their physical growth and start showing signs of aging, such as cracks in their scales, lusterless eyes, and old wounds that heal slowly. However, the wisdom, experience, and patience that grow with their lifespan make them far more dangerous. Dragons of this stage are much more cunning, hardly taking any hasty actions, and they also possess stronger magical power…”
“Is it the same for White Dragons?” Bruto was more concerned about the enemy they might have to face, “Didn’t you say that White Dragons are… not very clever?”
“White Dragons indeed lack the tactical thinking and magical power of other dragon types, but this also makes them focus on survival and slaying enemies, making them the best hunters among dragons,” Alamir gave Bruto a serious look, “Dragons that are in their seventh to eighth century of life are known as Ancient Dragons. This stage is the last opportunity for them to mate and have offspring, and at this stage, even a White Dragon will have intelligence comparable to an ordinary human.”
“A dragon is considered Ancient at seven hundred years old?” Lancelot asked curiously, “Then what exactly does ‘Ancient Dragon’ mean?”
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“When an Old Dragon has lived past its eight-hundredth birthday, it becomes an Ancient Dragon. This is the last stage in a dragon’s life cycle. Although the Dragon Race themselves further divide this stage into categories like Old Dragon, Primal Dragon, and Primeval Dragon, the distinction does not mean much to us outsiders. An Ancient Dragon reaches the pinnacle of physical and magical power, their intelligence rivals that of any mortal sage, and their transcendent memory makes them as knowledgeable as a library. It is no exaggeration to say that an Ancient Dragon is a top-tier being in any corner of the Multiverse…And Svafnir is an Ancient White Dragon,”
“So you mean there’s definitely no way we can take it down, is that what you’re saying?” Bruto suddenly found his skewer less appetizing, “Then why are we headed to its lair? To deliver room service?”
“Our goal is to enter Glacial Fortress and retrieve the relics of the Platinum Guards; the Ancient White Dragon happens to be in our way, but killing it isn’t the only way to solve the problem,” Lancelot shrugged at the Dwarf, “Don’t dragons like to hoard treasures in their lairs? If it were you, would you continue to be a watchdog for the Prince of Wrath once your home is under attack?”
“Dragon’s Treasure?” Bruto’s interest was piqued again, “Ahaha, I should’ve known, that’s your real purpose, isn’t it?”
“It might not be exactly as you’re thinking, but I haven’t actually planned for that,” Lancelot admitted frankly, “Once we’ve attracted Svafnir’s attention, we must immediately use Teleportation Magic to leave. After all, it’s an Ancient White Dragon; if we’re even a little bit slow, I’m afraid we won’t be able to get away at all.”
“So, if… if I’m quick enough, I should still be able to grab a bit from the mountainous hoard in the dragon’s lair, right?” Bruto asked, still not quite ready to give up, “After all, since we’ve come all this way, we ought to take some souvenirs…”
“Unfortunately, that’s impossible, too. The white dragon always freezes its treasure beneath thick layers of ice. You simply can’t grab a handful and run.” The elf mercilessly shattered the dwarf’s illusion once again, “Unless we completely kill the nest’s master, we won’t be able to take even a copper coin…”
“Don’t forget Kostcheqi’s treasury, that’s the most important target. How could the mount’s collection be better than its master’s?” Lancelot reminded, “Actually, I even worry that Svafnir’s lair is just a place for sleeping. Otherwise, why would it camp out in front of Kostcheqi’s fortress…”
“I know, but… slaying dragons is just too enticing.” Bruto lifted his cup and downed the golden liquor in one gulp, “Ah… burp! Since you know so much about the… physiology of dragons, do you have any research on how to kill one?”
“Somewhat.” Alamir used a term he had picked up from Lancelot, who then smiled knowingly, “Want to hear it?”
“Damn it, just spit it out!” Bruto demanded, plunking himself down in front of the elf with a barrel of ale, “If you miss a word, I’ll spit in your bathwater!”
“Please assure me you would never do that, or our friendship would truly come to an end,” Alamir warned seriously, then turned to the others, “Does everyone else want to hear, too?”
“Of course, we’re heading to a dragon’s lair after all.” Lancelot passed over the last skewer of meat, “Just tell us everything you know.”
“Alright, it’s not really a secret to most surface elves. Frankly speaking, elves are probably the ones who have killed the most dragons, though the giants might disagree. But there’s likely no one here to speak for those creatures, right?” Alamir said with a proud smile, “Before we discuss how to defeat a dragon, we first need to understand how dragons fight. Regardless of gender, age, and variety, all dragons share some common traits: first, they can fly, moving twice as fast as walking; they are all very good at hiding and seeing through stealth, maintaining constant vigilance in battle; they all have dark vision to adapt to cave and underground environments, and some even have blindsight; finally, all dragons have the ability to breathe their elemental breath, which is one of the hallmarks of the dragon race.”
“I still remember Pakos breathing fire, reducing Satugura and a dozen Yugloth mercenary demons to ashes,” Lancelot shivered involuntarily, “That was the giant dragon’s breath, wasn’t it?”
“Absolutely right, and it was the breath of an ancient red dragon, at that. Not many people who have witnessed such a scene are still alive; we can say we are incredibly, incredibly lucky…” The elf shook his head, still horrified, “A dragon’s breath can cover up to a ninety-foot conical area in front of it. The type of the breath depends on the dragon’s color. Red dragons breathe fire, black dragons breathe corrosive acid, blue dragons breathe lightning, green dragons breathe deadly poison, and white dragons breathe ice storms. For any team wanting to challenge a dragon, the breath with its high damage and wide range is always the greatest threat. Fortunately, such a powerful ability is not without limits…”
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