Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence-Chapter 123 - 117: Iron-backed Dragon Lizard

「The next day, just before dawn.」

SKREEE!

A sharp, piercing cry split the sky.

The Storm Griffin King, Baofeng, had been waiting for some time. His tawny Iron Feathers gleamed in the morning light.

Raylo leaped up, landing steadily on Baofeng’s broad back.

"Let’s go!"

Raylo patted Baofeng’s neck.

Baofeng gave a mighty beat of his wings, kicking up a gale as his massive body lifted off the ground and soared into the clouds.

They first flew to the Stone Forest. After a few cries from Baofeng, a series of answering calls echoed back. Over ten smaller Storm Griffins took to the sky one after another, gathering behind Baofeng to form a loose aerial squadron before speeding toward the eastern hills.

As they flew over the edge of the Black Stone Mountain Range, Raylo’s sharp eyes noticed an unusual disturbance in the forest below.

A massive flock of black birds, numbering in the tens of thousands, was pouring out from the depths of the Black Stone Mountain Range in a panic. They formed a black torrent, swarming toward the South in a desperate escape.

He recognized the birds. They were Scavenger Crows, a common sight in the Black Stone Mountain Range. Normally brazen, they were now acting as if they had encountered a natural predator.

’What in the Black Stone Mountain Range could have startled them?’

Raylo furrowed his brow, a flicker of doubt crossing his mind.

However, hunting the Iron-backed Dragon Lizards was more pressing. He temporarily pushed the matter to the back of his mind.

About two hours later, a stretch of rolling hills came into view.

The terrain here was much gentler than the Black Stone Mountain Range, and the vegetation was sparser, consisting mostly of low shrubs and exposed rock.

"Baofeng, lower your altitude and search carefully," Raylo commanded.

The Storm Griffin Group immediately descended, their massive wingspans casting a series of overlapping shadows on the ground below.

Soon, Baofeng let out a low cry. He had found their targets.

In a valley filled with massive boulders, seven or eight Iron-backed Dragon Lizards were strolling leisurely.

They were slightly smaller than Earth Dragons, but their backs were covered in heavy Scale Armor like forged Black Iron, which glinted with a cold, metallic sheen under the sun.

Thick, powerful limbs supported their heavy bodies. A massive tail covered in Bone Spikes swished about, occasionally striking the ground with a dull thud.

"Attack!" Raylo ordered.

Baofeng was the first to strike.

Like a bolt of tawny lightning, he dove from high above, his sharp Iron Claws letting out a piercing shriek as they tore through the air.

An Iron-backed Dragon Lizard chewing on a shrub sensed the danger. It had just raised its head when Baofeng’s massive claws precisely clamped down on its neck!

CRACK!

A sickening crunch of bone echoed as Baofeng’s Dagger-sharp Iron Beak, like that of a woodpecker, pecked at the Iron-backed Dragon Lizard’s skull several times.

The Iron-backed Dragon Lizard’s massive body went rigid, then collapsed heavily to the ground, blood gushing from its wounds.

A single, fatal blow!

Seeing this, the other Storm Griffins shrieked and followed suit, diving down to pounce on their chosen targets.

However, the Iron-backed Dragon Lizards lived up to their reputation as ferocious Tier Three Sub-dragon Species Magical Beasts.

Faced with the Storm Griffins’ assault, they didn’t panic like the Earth Dragons had. Instead, they quickly launched an effective counterattack.

Some of the Iron-backed Dragon Lizards tilted their heads back and spat dark green acid. Others used their hard skulls to ram the diving Griffins. Some even swung their massive, Bone Spike-covered tails like heavy Bone Whips.

BANG!

A young Storm Griffin failed to dodge in time and was struck in the abdomen by an Iron-backed Dragon Lizard’s massive tail. It let out a shrill, mournful cry and nearly plummeted from the sky, feathers flying everywhere.

It struggled to regain altitude, its abdomen now a bloody mess.

Raylo’s brow tightened.

Of the eleven Storm Griffins, only three managed to pin down the smaller Iron-backed Dragon Lizards and painstakingly finish the kill.

The other Griffins seemed hesitant in the face of the Iron-backed Dragon Lizards’ powerful counterattacks, and a few were even injured.

Seeing that the tide had turned, the remaining Iron-backed Dragon Lizards began to flee toward caves they had dug into the hills.

"Baofeng, take down one more!" Raylo said in a low voice.

Baofeng let out a majestic roar and beat his wings again. His massive body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, chasing an Iron-backed Dragon Lizard that was about to squeeze into a crevice in the rocks.

Half of the Iron-backed Dragon Lizard’s body was already inside the cave, but Baofeng arrived in a flash. One of his talons pinned down its exposed hind leg, while the other clawed viciously at its spine.

The Iron-backed Dragon Lizard let out a pained roar and struggled desperately, but it couldn’t budge Baofeng in the slightest.

A moment later, with a heart-stopping ripping sound, the Iron-backed Dragon Lizard stopped struggling.

In the end, the Storm Griffin Group returned to the castle in Black Stone Territory, somewhat battered, with the five carcasses of the Iron-backed Dragon Lizards in tow.

When Ed directed the Knights to deliver the five massive Iron-backed Dragon Lizard carcasses, the eyes of Barnaby, the usually disheveled Mage, suddenly lit up. Even a few strands of his messy, bird’s-nest-like hair seemed to stand on end with excitement.

"Excellent! Truly excellent! The concentration of Dragon Blood and the activity of the Magic Power in these Iron-backed Dragon Lizards are far superior to that of the Earth Dragons!"

Master Barnaby circled the carcasses a few times, rubbing his hands together.

"Lord Raylo, with these materials, my research is sure to have a breakthrough!"

Raylo watched his excited display and nodded slightly.

"Master, feel free to proceed. Just ask for whatever you need."

The excitement on Master Barnaby’s face faded slightly.

"Lord Raylo, the materials are excellent... but my experiments have entered a new phase. To verify the actual effects of some key Potions and Magic Arrays, I need... live subjects for some tests."

"Live subjects?"

Raylo’s gaze sharpened.

"Yes."

Master Barnaby pushed his greasy Alchemy Glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"These experiments are quite dangerous. Based on my calculations, the test subjects may endure immense pain, or even... death. Or... worse, unpredictable mutations."

The atmosphere in the laboratory grew heavy.

Raylo was silent for a moment, appearing to weigh his options.

He knew very well that on the path of Magic research, sacrifices were inevitable.

For the future of the territory, for greater Power, some prices had to be paid.

It was just best if that price was paid by his enemies.

"I understand," Raylo said calmly.

"Ed."

"I am here!"

Ed stepped forward.

"Go to the dungeons. Of the bandits from the Blood Wolf Corps we captured last time, there are still a dozen or so who haven’t been executed. Bring them to Master Barnaby."

There was no trace of emotion in Raylo’s tone.

"Yes, my Lord!"

Without a hint of hesitation, Ed accepted the order and departed.

A complex look flickered in Master Barnaby’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by his thirst for research.

"A wise decision, my Lord! This will greatly accelerate the progress of my experiments!"

Raylo nodded but said nothing more.

He knew that the bandits from the Blood Wolf Corps were just a stopgap measure. Their numbers and physical constitution might not be sufficient for Master Barnaby’s more in-depth and dangerous experiments to come.

His gaze drifted unconsciously toward the castle dungeons.

Down there, a leader of the "Stone Crow Robbery Gang" was still imprisoned.

’Perhaps...’

Raylo mused to himself.

’I could start with this Stone Crow Robbery Gang. Wiping them out would not only intimidate the local riffraff but also provide Master Barnaby with a new batch of test subjects...’