190 The Mountain Range
Leo’s heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to keep his breath steady. He could feel his legs burning with exertion as he sprinted through the dense forest. His only hope was to use his commanding voice to stop the ferocious wolf that was hot on his heels.
“Sit!”
He shouted, his voice ringing out through the trees.
However, Fenrir didn’t even stumble, let alone slow down, as he continued to run with the same effortless grace that he had before. His owner’s hopeless shout only seemed to fuel the wolf’s determination as he pushed himself even harder.
“This fucker...”
Cursing his companion under his breath, Leo quickly leaped onto the tree, his agile body moving swiftly as he ascended towards the top. He felt the rough bark of the tree against his palms and the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he climbed higher and higher.
“...”
When he finally reached the top, Leo paused for a moment to catch his breath. As he turned to face Fenrir, the black wolf stared back at him with a knowing look in his eyes. Leo could see the hint of mischief in the dog’s expression, and he knew that Fenrir was up to something.
The tension between the two of them was palpable, and for a few moments, they just stared at each other in silence.
.....
Whoosh...
Finally, with a defeated look in his eyes, Fenrir wiggled his tail as if giving up. In an instant, he disappeared into a shower of light particles and was absorbed into Leo’s chest.
“Shitty bastard, why do you even try to sabotage me like this?”
As Leo jumped down from the tree, he felt his bones creak slightly upon impact. However with the racial transformation he had undergone, his body had become stronger and more resilient than ever before.
His body was now like metal, tough and unbreakable, able to withstand even the harshest of impacts without so much as a scratch.
Excitement surged through Leo as he opened his map and saw the words “?????? ?????????????? ??????????????????” written in bold letters. It had been his goal for days to reach this place, and now he was finally here.
“Finally!” He breathed, a sense of relief and accomplishment washing over him.
Leo picked up his pace, channeling his Mana into his legs and enchanting his speed. He moved through the forest with a swiftness that was almost unheard of, his body almost like a blur as he darted between the trees.
As he burst through the final layer of greenery, Leo was greeted with a breathtaking sight. The Dragoon Mountains stretched out before him, their snow-capped peaks reaching towards the sky. The beauty of the mountains was almost overwhelming, and for a moment, Leo was struck speechless.
Leo couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of the mountains, even though it wasn’t his first time seeing the view. He was always amazed at how the game developers had managed to create such a stunning landscape. It was hard to believe that this was all just a virtual world, as the attention to detail was incredible.
He wondered how much time must have been spent designing this world, from the smallest details to the grandest vistas. It was a testament to the dedication and passion of the developers who had poured their hearts and souls into creating this game.
Whoosh...
Leo’s heart skipped a beat as, suddenly, a massive figure appeared from above the clouds. It was a dragon, a creature that was the stuff of legends and fairy tales. But this was no ordinary dragon, not like the ones he had read about in books or seen in movies.
This dragon was massive, with a wingspan that stretched over 50 meters. Its scales were a deep shade of red, and as it flew through the sky, its muscles rippled beneath its skin. Leo couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and fear as he gazed up at the creature.
But this was no ordinary dragon, and it was not something to be taken lightly. The dragons in Fragmental were not the same as the ones in the fairy tales. These creatures were much more powerful, with massive claws and jaws that could crush anything in their path. And they had a strange shield of Mana that could hurt anyone who came too close.
Leo knew that the dragons were not to be trifled with. They were not like the wyverns, who were strong but had limited abilities. The dragons were different, possessing powers and abilities that were unmatched by any other creature in Fragmental.
Leo stood frozen in awe as he watched the massive lizard soar overhead. Its wings were like a force of nature, able to create tornadoes with just a single flap and a surge of Mana. Leo couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine at the thought of facing such a fearsome creature in battle.
“...”
As he watched, the lizard’s wings moved twice and it effortlessly crossed multiple rivers before reaching the imposing mountain range in the distance.
He observed the dragon until it disappeared behind the mountains, a place that was known as the Valley of Dragons. It was a territory that only those with the emblem of the dragon could enter and Leo had obtained the emblem after defeating the third wave’s boss.
Even Fenrir seemed to sense the power of the dragon. He fell silent as soon as the dragon came into view. Leo could sense Fenrir’s unease – as a predator himself, Fenrir was no stranger to the hunt, but he could clearly feel the difference between himself and the alpha predator that ruled the food chain of this whole territory.
The dragon’s presence was commanding and intimidating, and even Leo felt a twinge of fear deep within him.
However, Leo’s previous encounters with these monsters had hardened him, and the fear that had briefly gripped him in the dragon’s presence soon dissipated.
He had killed his fair share of creatures in his past life, including weaker dragons, which had allowed him to numb the fear that usually accompanied such encounters.
Killing the dragon was like a way to build even greater resistance against the natural fear that these monsters carried with them.
However, Leo wasn’t foolish enough to attempt to kill or even harm the massive dragon before him. He knew that he would stand no chance against a creature of such power and magnitude.
The Dragon Valley was not only home to dragons, but also other races such as Drakes and Wyrms, and Leo would rather hunt them than even the weakest dragon.
“...”
Leo quickly lifted his eyes into the sky and summoned his Shadow Skeleton, which had fully healed from its previous battle. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the skeleton off to scout the path ahead.
While the dragons were undoubtedly a serious threat, Leo was also keenly aware of the other monsters that inhabited the forest. In fact, there was a higher chance of being killed by one of these creatures than by a dragon. He had to keep his guard up at all times, staying alert for any signs of danger.
Despite the presence of thousands of flying monsters in the Valley, Leo knew that they were mostly dormant and rarely ventured outside their territory. These creatures spent most of their time sleeping, their massive wings folded in a state of repose. It was said that seeing a dragon outside of its home was rarer than watching a falling star.
As the Shadow Skeleton scouted ahead, Leo followed cautiously, Core hands slowly circulating Mana to his palms .
By some stroke of luck, Leo managed to avoid any encounters with the monsters that lurked in the forest, and he soon reached the bottom of the nearest mountain that formed a massive wall around the Dragon Valley. The wall had kept the ecosystem untouched by the outside world for hundreds of years, preserving it in all its wild and untamed glory.
As he looked up towards the sky, Leo noticed something glinting in the distance. Pressing his lips together, he squinted his eyes and realized that he was looking at dozens of ice dragons, sleeping on the mountain slope just below the level of the clouds.
Huff...
Leo took a deep breath, the cold mountain air filling his lungs as he approached the towering wall that surrounded the Dragon Valley.
His gloved hand grasped the slippery edge of the wall, and he began pulling himself upwards, his muscles straining with the effort.
“Don’t look down...”
Despite having the key to enter the Valley, he knew that there was no easy way in. There was a secret tunnel that led into the heart of the Valley, but it was guarded by a powerful dragon that even Leo knew he had no chance of defeating. So, he had to settle for climbing the treacherous mountain instead.
“Don’t look down...”
However, climbing the mountains wasn’t an easy task, especially when there was a special barrier surrounding it that made every player have a fear of heights.
“Don’t look down...”
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