Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon’s Might
Chapter 255 - 253 Itchy Hands

Chapter 255: Chapter 253 Itchy Hands

All the equipment was finally in hand, and the increase in size meant a comprehensive boost in attributes. Most importantly, Leon’s mana had significantly improved. His overall power had undoubtedly stepped up to a new level.

A new ride at hand—how could Leon not take it out for a spin? Heaven knew how much his hands were itching. Yet as he looked around, it seemed there wasn’t a single enemy in sight. He had a Dragon Slaying Skill but not a single dragon to slay, leaving him stuck on Volcanic Island to "rot and idle" away.

If he hadn’t brokered peace with the elves back then, he could have gone to war with them right now. Leon believed his current strength could sweep through Danalan without anyone being able to stop him. The aftermath, however, would surely invite the elves’ frenzied retaliation.

But there was no "if." The peace talks had already been done. Leon didn’t want to bear the stigma of betrayal. The reason was simple: once branded a traitor, gaining others’ trust in the future would be near impossible—and that was no good.

Now that he had new weapons, this didn’t mean his journey was over. He still needed to figure out ways to gather rare materials and craft Divine weapons. Otherwise, his Three Heads and Six Arms would feel unjustified.

Leon thought of the Lost Plateau. There were many Dwarf Fortresses there, and he might be able to chat with those stubborn dwarves. They loved mining, and perhaps he could find quite a few rare materials. Luckily, they didn’t have any trade relations with Watchtower Port.

Or should he visit the Celestial Realm?

On second thought, the Celestial Realm was better left alone.

However, the Lower Plane would surely welcome his arrival. The Lower Plane had Hell Iron and Cold Iron... Balor’s weapons, the Flame Whip and Storm Longsword, might even be up for grabs.

The Star Realm surely had plenty of treasures as well—it seemed like a solid option too.

Leon finally made up his mind to move around a bit. He decided to visit Tassera and seek her opinion, including ways to access other planes. He did possess a Plane Talisman, but for places he hadn’t been to before, it couldn’t be used for direct teleportation.

"And what would you do in those places?" Tassera asked. "You want to wander around, you want to find some rare materials—then why don’t we just go there? You’re so strong now; we absolutely can go."

"There? Where exactly?" Leon was uncertain about the place Tassera was referring to.

"Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten," Tassera said with unusual excitement. "That ancient tomb of the Lost Empire deep in the desert."

Leon had long forgotten about that tomb after so many years. Only Tassera still remembered it vividly, always yearning for knowledge about the Ancient Fallen Empire. Even the elves’ grand libraries lacked detailed records about it.

"If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would’ve nearly forgotten such a place existed," Leon said as he recalled the tomb, nestled deep in the desert. He also remembered it was guarded by a corrupted Male-faced Sphinx.

"What do you think?" Tassera looked at Leon expectantly. "It’s been ages since we’ve tackled an Underground City. Surely you’re itching to explore a new one."

"And that tomb must hold countless treasures, tons of rare materials, maybe even Divine weapons." Tassera continued to coax him.

Leon said nothing, lost in thought.

"Do you have any concerns?" Tassera asked.

If it were any other Underground City, Leon’s itching hands would surely have agreed instantly. But his hesitation stemmed from one simple reason: he still felt uneasy about that tomb of the Ancient Fallen Empire. "The tomb is guarded by a Male-faced Sphinx, and it’s certain that even more terrifying monsters lie buried within," he said.

"That tomb radiates an ominous curse," Tassera explained. "It awakens all creatures who died nearby in the desert. Undoubtedly, terrifying monsters are buried there. But haven’t they yet to awaken? If they awakened and fully restored their strength, it’d be impossible for us to escape then."

"Striking while the iron is hot—we should take action before they fully awaken and pounce on the tomb, that Underground City. Are you suggesting we wait until after they’ve recovered before venturing in? The difficulty would skyrocket then." Tassera tilted her head at Leon. "What do you think?"

Leon suddenly realized, "You do make a valid point there."

"After all these years, I have no idea what state the place might be in now. We need to analyze the situation when we get there," Tassera said as she lightly swept her hair from her forehead. "If the monsters buried in that tomb have awakened or grown stronger, we can always just linger around outside."

Leon nodded. He never particularly liked taking risks.

"So?" Tassera tilted her head again, eyeing Leon.

"We can go take a look," Leon said, finally swayed. "When should we set off?"

"Whenever you’re ready to arrange everything, we can leave," Tassera replied.

"There’s nothing I need to arrange..." Leon said but paused mid-sentence. He suddenly felt a tiny pang of worry—if he ventured too far from Volcanic Island, would someone try to sneak in and steal his home? The effort he poured into transforming the island was too immense to lose.

But after mulling it over briefly, Leon quickly calmed himself down.

He wouldn’t be gone for long—just ten days or half a month, not six months or a year. His Volcanic Island couldn’t exactly be stolen away; it could only be occupied temporarily. And if that happened, he’d simply reclaim it. Besides, he’d already battered every surrounding power into submission; relations were relatively amicable for now.

"What? You’re heading to raid an Underground City?" Cecilia quipped upon hearing Leon’s plan to leave with Tassera. "I’m coming too."

"What are you tagging along for?" Leon asked. "If you come, who’s going to handle Watchtower Port?"

"Watchtower Port can go a month without supervision and still stay fine," Cecilia replied. "Naturally, I’d ensure proper arrangements before leaving."

"Since when did you care about raiding Underground Cities?" Leon asked, surprised.

"I don’t care about raiding Underground Cities..." Cecilia smirked as she licked her lips. "I’m your maid—I simply want to follow my master wherever he goes."

"Fake, keep pretending," Leon scoffed. "Dare tell me you’re not angling for the treasure—hoping for a share after the raid?"

Cecilia gave an awkward laugh.

She was convinced that as long as Leon joined the endeavor, no Underground City would remain unconquered.

"I’m coming too," Salovis chimed in, eager to join the fun.

"What are you coming for?" Leon asked. "You’re only good at making a mess."

"No, I’m coming," Salovis insisted. Her motives mirrored Cecilia’s.

Indeed, despite having the chance to roam freely and establish her own expansive domain, she clung to her brother’s territory, freeloading shamelessly like a parasite. Still, even a freeloader had dreams of some sort.

Leon thought for a moment. With him, Tassera, and Cecilia gone, no one could truly rein in Salovis. Eventually, he decided to bring her along. She might not qualify as a dependable teammate, but she’d pass as a decent mascot.

Thus, the Four-Headed Dragon embarked on their Underground City expedition.