Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 210: After modification - 209 The Snipe and Clam Grapple while the Fisherman...

Chapter 210: After modification: Chapter 209 The Snipe and Clam Grapple while the Fisherman...

"Guys, we’ve got more business."

"Look, what is this?"

"Two big fat sheep, delivered right to us."

The bald Grey Dwarf Benhard found his buddies in the tavern just as Leon and Cecilia walked into the market district.

In such a large Grey Dwarf city, who knows if there might be any troublesome characters, and it’s best not to act rashly within the city. Since they managed to deceive a group of psionic Grey Dwarves out of the city, Cecilia now had a chance to encounter psionics, so they could take a break and explore the market leisurely.

The market district was filled with a dazzling array of stalls selling all sorts of miscellaneous items. From weapons and equipment to magic materials and rare minerals, from Bulette meat to Phase Spider eggs, everything was available.

Leon glanced around briefly and didn’t find refined gold or Mithril for sale, thinking those rare metals likely wouldn’t end up in such a place. There was a large array of weapons and equipment, but all were non-magical. They weren’t worthless, but not worth their time either.

"Look, that Grey Dwarf is talking to himself," Cecilia commented, uninterested in the market since she didn’t like spending money on things.

Following Cecilia’s gaze, Leon said, "He’s not talking to himself. There’s a Grey Dwarf nearby who’s invisible, you just can’t see him."

Feeling embarrassed, Cecilia was slightly annoyed. She didn’t have true sight, and usually relied on hearing and smell to detect invisibility. But the market was filled with the continuous chatter in Dwarven language and strange pungent smells, greatly interfering with her senses.

There wasn’t much worth buying, especially with the Grey Dwarves’ two-faced attitude towards surface dwellers and others. After a casual walk around, Leon took Cecilia to eat some food, enjoying the unique cuisine of the Dark Territory, specially prepared for surface dwellers; otherwise, the Grey Dwarves’ diet was quite simple, consisting only of bread and ale.

There was only one inn in the market district that catered to surface dwellers, located in a small cave cluster at the northern end of the market district, allowing non-Grey Dwarf visitors to communicate in the restaurant and gather rumors.

Although they had just eaten outside, Leon didn’t mind eating again. After devouring a leg of the underground Rothe, a cattle-like creature, he saw Cecilia return and sit across from him to ask, "Did you hear anything interesting?"

"The Mind Flayers have been quite active recently, and many adventurers have gone missing."

"The captain of the guard is recruiting adventurers to deal with a Spectator that has been roaming nearby."

"Rumor has it that a Demon has appeared on the Flame Path."

Cecilia babbled on for a while until Leon had eaten and drank his fill.

"Pretty boy." A group of Orc mercenaries, seemingly on a whim, started whistling at Leon and Cecilia.

Leon didn’t even need to make a move; all it took was a glance from Cecilia, unleashing her Frightening Majesty, and the Orc mercenaries instantly quieted down, leaving the entire restaurant in a hushed state where no one dared approach them, and the watchful gazes disappeared in an instant.

After a full meal, Leon went to sleep, while Cecilia insisted on sleeping beside him.

The night passed without incident.

On the next day, Leon and Cecilia went to the brewery as planned.

The dilapidated brewery was built with brick, with pillars made from a few petrified giant mushroom stalks taken from a small nearby mushroom forest, emitting a strong, sour stench.

The smell of the brewery was quite unpleasant, and just as Leon was growing impatient, Benhard finally arrived with his companions, making up a total of six people, plus a Shifting Beast.

The Shifting Beast resembled a sleek black panther, but had six legs, and two flat, spiked tendrils protruding from the shoulder area, used to create illusions.

"Everyone’s here, let’s go." Leon didn’t hold back, continuing based on the information Cecilia gathered yesterday, "I believe the way to the Ghost Road is this way..."

Leaving the Grey Dwarf city, to reach the Ghost Road, they had to pass through a gigantic mushroom forest and a Myconid colony.

It was Leon’s first encounter with Myconids, an intelligent, mobile fungal life form that pursued enlightenment and opposed violence, willing to coexist peacefully with others. As long as one was friendly, they welcomed visitors to move freely through their colony and even offered them shelter.

"That Mushroom Man King is quite formidable. Let’s not get too close, careful those spores turn you into something neither human nor ghost." Benhard spit on the ground as he spoke, "If I get the chance, I’ll burn them all someday."

Leon observed these spore thralls covered with spores. Aside from Drow, Bugbears, and Hobgoblins, the most numerous were the Gray Dwarves. He just shrugged, noncommittal.

Passing through the massive mushroom forest, they reached the Ghost Road, and as soon as they stepped onto it, a pack of Brain-eating Monsters appeared ahead, resembling hunting dogs.

Brain-eating Monsters looked like moving brains encased in tough shells, equipped with beastly claws and tentacles.

They were created by the Mind Flayers by extracting brains from their controlled subjects through horrific rituals, designed for roaming and hunting in the Dark Territory.

The Brain-eating Monsters were considered miniature abnormalities, akin to a Shiba Inu in size, but with combat capabilities equivalent to a challenge rating of 2, about the same as a tiger.

"Damn it, there are Brain-eating Monsters here." Benhard grumbled.

He wasn’t afraid of the Brain-eating Monsters, but he was wary of any Mind Flayers that might be following them, as they were not easy to deal with.

"Form up, form up. Everyone, pay attention, the Brain-eating Monsters are coming." Benhard didn’t cower; he rallied his companions and charged at the Brain-eating Monsters.

"Watch closely." Leon reminded Cecilia to focus on observing the psionics.

Leon didn’t understand psionics and could only watch the spectacle.

As a Spiritual Priest, the bald Grey Dwarf used some kind of control magic on the fastest Brain-eating Monster, but it had no effect.

The Mohawked Grey Dwarf Soul Blade Master shouted, becoming gigantic, then conjured a purple, short-sword-sized Spiritual Blade out of thin air.

At the same time, the Brain-eating Monsters, who also possessed psionic abilities, suddenly floated in the air, bowing their heads to unleash a purple energy beam that hit a Grey Dwarf, causing him to clutch his chest and shake his head. His body remained undamaged, but his mind shattered.

"Did you feel anything?" Leon asked, "Did you notice anything interesting?"

Cecilia shook her head gently and said, "No, I didn’t feel anything."

The Grey Dwarves’ combat skills were decent, especially with the support of the strong Shifting Beast.

The Shifting Beast pounced and bit, using its tendrils to take down a Brain-eating Monster. The Brain-eating Monsters fought fiercely, with high claw attack damage, capable of consuming intelligence and even stealing bodies, but their resilience was lacking.

The pack of Brain-eating Monsters was soon taken down, yet Benhard wore a grave expression, saying, "Since the Brain-eating Monsters have appeared, the Mind Flayers must be nearby, and we can’t proceed any further."

"If you aren’t going, what about us?" Leon interjected.

"What are you planning?" Leon noticed the Grey Dwarves encircling him and Cecilia.

"Hand over all your valuables." Benhard swung his Nail Head Hammer against his shield, eyeing Leon, "Or I’ll crush your skulls, just like those Brain-eating Monsters."

"Aren’t you..." Leon couldn’t find the right word to describe the Grey Dwarves’ behavior, "robbing us?"

"It’s robbery, of course, it’s robbery, so hurry up and hand it all over." Benhard laughed heartily, "Now, give everything up, and maybe we’ll let you live as slaves."

"Boss, stop wasting time with them." The clean-shaven Grey Dwarf raised his loaded Heavy Crossbow, "If we delay any longer, the Mind Flayers will arrive."

"Alright, alright, we’re giving it up." Leon nodded to Cecilia, "Go ahead."

"On it." Cecilia eagerly stepped forward, stretched her neck, and with a flash of light transformed into a large Green Dragon. Staring at the surrounding Grey Dwarves, she said, "What were you just saying?"

"They only understand Undercommon and Dwarf Language, so they don’t understand you." Leon patted the Green Dragon’s leg, then activated Gathering Form and Scattering Energy to appear on a nearby small hill.

"Green Dragon, Green Dragon, it’s a Green Dragon! What the heck? Is that an illusion?" Benhard shouted a few times in Dwarf Language, unexpectedly also speaking the Universal Language, albeit a bit clumsily, "Green Dragon, why did you lure us out here?"

If one had a brain, it would be clear that a Green Dragon wouldn’t need Grey Dwarf bodyguards.

"You actually understand the Universal Language; I underestimated you." Cecilia wrinkled her nose, "When you were plotting against us, did you consider that we were plotting against you all along... Alright, I need some minions. Follow me obediently, and I won’t kill you."

Benhard examined the Green Dragon, which was only about twice his height at the shoulder, not very large and probably not yet mature, unsure why it had come to the Dark Territory.

He then assessed his side, six people in total, plus a Shifting Beast... Just as Benhard was about to speak, a group of Brain-eating Monsters came running from a distance, followed by three Mind Flayers. These humanoid creatures, with octopus-like heads and twisted tentacles, had a purple skin tone and enjoyed feasting on humanoid brains.

Mind Flayers were enemies of the Grey Dwarves, enemies of all humanoids.

"Green Dragon, the Mind Flayers are coming... I think we should team up to eliminate those Mind Flayers and then discuss our matters." Benhard, facing a formidable enemy, began breathing heavily.

"Folks, no more holding back, use your trump cards..." Benhard said, noticing the black-haired man heading towards the Mind Flayers, suddenly transforming into a massive Red Dragon.

The Red Dragon, in the blink of an eye, donned armor and somehow drew a massive refined gold greatsword. With one slash, it toppled a Mind Flayer, then turned to unleash a Flame Breath, incinerating another Mind Flayer. The remaining Mind Flayer tried to escape but was knocked down by a bolt of Lightning from the Red Dragon’s raised claw.

As for the pack of Brain-eating Monsters, the Red Dragon either slashed, slapped, or stomped each one to death.

Was it over just like that?

Had it not even begun yet?

Benhard rubbed his eyes, momentarily baffled, and looked at the Green Dragon, blinking repeatedly. The Green Dragon had the advantage of familiarity with the Dark Territory terrain and could flee. But how could they contend with this strange Red Dragon, who could dispatch a mighty Mind Flayer as if dealing with a mere chick?