Chapter 178: Chapter 178 Black Dragon (Fourth Update)
Translator: 549690339
Nearly all the novice zone’s players were attracted by a mushroom cloud billowing into the sky in the distance and the vague outline of a gargantuan creature appearing and disappearing in the cloud.
The monster’s size was colossal, almost as tall as a six-story building, with wings spanning at least thirty meters extending from its back. As the mushroom cloud ascended, the creature too was striving to soar towards the sky inside the cloud.
Roar-
A thunderous roar echoed from afar, instilling a sense of fear in everyone. This was a primal terror that felt like it was emanating from the depths of their souls, akin to a frog being watched by a venomous snake, the dread induced by a natural predator seeping into each individual’s cells.
The players who originally wanted to approach the beast immediately halted; the creature was not something they could approach at their current level. Or rather, for a long time in the future, they wouldn’t be capable of going near such a horrific monster.
“That… that creature… it looks vaguely like the dragon from the legends!” Professed a player abruptly, pointing at the monster in the mushroom cloud.
Upon hearing his remark, everyone looked on and found the comparison more and more convincing, stirring excitement among them.
A dragon, a creature from myths, was an apex entity in any game. The ultimate glory for any player was probably to personally vanquish a Giant Dragon.
Some people began to stir, even though they shook uncontrollably, their cells continually alerting them of danger, but they couldn’t resist the impulse within their hearts.
“Even a glimpse from far away would be worth it.” Some started to run towards the direction of the mushroom cloud. Daytime was the best time for the players to venture out. By nightfall, this city would unequivocally become the monsters’ territory.
Song Jian was the fastest among them. At this stage in the game, it was rare for a player to have a mount or vehicle. His gaze was fixated on the enormous creature tumbling in the air far away, its wings constantly flapping as if trying to thrust into the sky. Yet, it seemed to be restrained by something. Struggling vehemently, its angered roars echoed through the sky.
“It does look a bit like the Giant Dragon from the legends!” Song Jian’s eyes gleamed.
The beast appeared much like a massive lizard, with two curved black horns atop its head, black scales adorning its body, a thick tail ending in a large ball cloaked with sharp bony spines.
The distance was too great for Song Jian to check the monster’s attributes. He could only continue onwards. He had now entered the region containing level 10 monsters. The roar of his motorcycle drew all the shadow-dwelling monsters towards him, chasing after Song Jian. Despite being left far behind, they didn’t give up. As long as they could hear the sound of the motorcycle, the monsters could continue to chase after it endlessly.
“Even the regular monsters have reached level 10, should I continue ahead?” Faced with an increasing onslaught of monsters, Song Jian reluctantly dismounted the motorcycle, stored it away, and hid in a remote alley.
Continuing further might lead to being besieged by the creatures. Even though he was very powerful, Song Jian could not possibly survive amidst hundreds of level-10 monsters, even if they all had their attributes halved.
Roar-
The roars of the beast grew more intense. Its enormous body moved with surprising smoothness, like a fish writhing. Each inch of its body exuded power.
However, it seemed like the gigantic creature was truly being confined by something. After ascending to mid-air, it could no longer fly any higher. The distance was too far for Song Jian to see clearly, but he felt the beast possessed an overpowering sense of tenacity—a sense of destructive force.
Song Jian was brimming with excitement, every cell in his body trembling. It was a mix of fear and extreme exhilaration.
“This might be the most terrifying creature in the game, perhaps this is my only chance to see it!” Thought Song Jian, “Just like the figure that floated on the rooftop, absorbing the essence of the moon before, just like the gigantic skeleton that walked past the window, over a hundred meters tall…”
There were too many powerful monsters lurking in this city. Song Jian had crossed paths with such formidable beasts twice before, and he still remembered the sensation he felt when that enormous skeleton passed down a street only a few dozen meters away from him.
Song Jian’s figure swiftly darted through the city, the low growls of monsters echoing around him. Now, he had ventured into the territory of level 15 monsters. Even though he couldn’t see them, he could sense the formidable aura radiating from the monsters nearby. Yet, these monsters’ aura pales in comparison to the colossal creature in the distance, like a firefly against the full moon.
He was getting closer – close enough to see the giant creature’s massive eyes. They were a pale golden color, slit pupils like those of a snake or lizard, gleaming with an unusual light.
This gigantic creature occasionally exhaled plumes of heated black smoke, even spurting sparks from its nostrils. Its muscles bulged with explosive power, its black scales shone brilliantly, much like steel.
However, there was a rope, rough as thick as a finger, tightly circling the colossal beast. Regardless of how much it struggled, it couldn’t break free from this seemingly frail constraint.
[Lv8o Black Dragon – Erbartlein] (Elite): Vitality Points:58oo/???, Traits: Super Resistance, ???, Fire Element Control, Lightning Element Control, ???; Skills: Vortex Fireball, Tail Whip, ??? Electro-Strike, ???
“It’s a level 80 Elite Boss, so terrifying! More than half of its attributes are invisible, perhaps I can only see these because it’s injured, or because it’s in a fight.” Song Jian could feel every cell in his body trembling, screaming, even wanting to bow and worship the beast. This was the reverence of lower organisms for higher ones, at the cellular and genetic level.
The closer he got, the more shivers ran through his spine. In the end, he couldn’t even muster the courage to take a step forward.
The Black Dragon Erbartlein grew increasingly violent, its mouth already starting to conjure a Vortex Fireball. All the monsters within several kilometers disappeared under its terrifying power. Lower level monsters could only run away, incapable of any other action.
“It’s just a monster! No matter how high its level is, it is simply a monster. Monsters exist for players to level up and get equipment, but why am I still so afraid!” Song Jian’s face was deathly pale, sweat pouring from his body, trembling uncontrollably. The vertical pupils on his forehead even opened wide, pushing him to his limit and on the brink of collapsing.
Just then, the Hexagram Array on his chest suddenly erupted with dazzling light, its radiance shining through his armor, illuminating Song Jian’s face.
The terror in his heart was being rapidly replaced by rampaging bloodlust. Song Jian’s face twisted into a fearsome grimace, his eyes gleaming with a lust for blood.
“It’s only a big lizard! What’s there to fear? Kill it, skin it, rip its flesh, scoop out its bones, devour its heart – the Giant Dragon is nothing but my prey!”
Boom!
With a stomp of his foot, Song Jian left cracks in the cement road. He propelled himself towards the Black Dragon in the distance like an arrow loosed from its bow.