Chapter 153: An Overlord's Next Move
Back with Alister and his dragons, Draven put down the last of the monsters with a swing of his great sword, the blade cleaved through the monsters easily. The ground shook slightly as the monster fell, signaling the end of the battle.
Alister, standing atop Terra's head, took a look around. "Terra, is that all the monsters here?" he asked, his voice echoing through the valley.
Terra's deep blue eyes brightened as she looked around as well, her eyes could see through the shadows, distant corners, and far-off distances. After a short pause, she nodded. "That is all, my lord. There are no monsters close by."
"Well done, all of you," Alister said, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. "Now, Terra, secure all the edges of the valley with a fairly sizable wall."
Terra acknowledged with a small nod. "Understood." She stomped her front left leg slightly, causing a ripple of mana to spread from her feet.
The ground responded, and walls began to rise up around the valley, forming a formidable barrier that sealed the area off from any potential Monster threats.
Alister watched with a calm but satisfied look on his face as the walls solidified. He clicked a button on the side of his mask. "Ren, we're done here."
"Copy that," Ren's voice crackled back, now wearing another air filter mask. "I'll relay the update to the pickup team. Good work, Alister."
Alister turned his attention back to his dragons. Draven swung his sword, causing the monster blood on it to splatter on the floor below.
Terra's golden scales glowed slightly as she inspected the newly formed walls. Cinder was also scanning the horizon for any new threats.
Alister then called again to Ren. "Things are looking good here, Ren. We'll be taking our leave now."
Ren's voice crackled back through the comms. "Understood, but return as quickly as you can. It'll be dawn soon, remember we can't afford to fall behind again."
"I understand, no need to worry," Alister replied.
Draven reverted to his draconic form, his powerful wings unfurling. With a mighty leap, he and the other dragons took to the sky, spearing through the sky and into the distance.
Meanwhile, Hiroshi stood just outside the truck, watching the horizon thoughtfully as Alister and his dragons slowly disappeared into the distance.
Razorgrin, standing nearby, glanced at him with his one good eye as Hiroshi mumbled, "So, they're on their way now." He turned to Razorgrin. "Hey, Razorgrin, ever wondered what sort of monster can be served as dragon chow?"
Razorgrin's eye narrowed slightly. "Is there a point to asking?"
Hiroshi placed his hand under his jaw thoughtfully. "Well... Alister has had his dragons for a while now, but I don't remember him ever bringing in anything to feed them. If he did, it would have to be something large, considering he has three dragons. But we've never seen him bring in anything. And if he didn't, how did he feed his dragons?"
Razorgrin let out a sigh, folding his arms. "I don't know, and I honestly don't care, Hiroshi. They're reptiles. I think their rate of digestion relies on the heat around them or something like that."
Hiroshi sighed in frustration. "You aren't properly listening to what I'm saying. The thing is, I don't think he's ever fed them before. If he did, we would know. So if he hasn't, how is he so sure it's not some sacred ritual humans aren't supposed to see?"
Razorgrin gave Hiroshi a skeptical look. "Are you suggesting that Alister's dragons don't need to eat? Or that he's hiding something?"
Hiroshi shrugged. "I'm not sure. But it's strange, don't you think? He's been around the guild yet no one noticed when he summoned these other two dragons. He sort of just pops up and says another name and another will pop out."
Razorgrin sighed again, clearly exasperated. "Look, Hiroshi, Alister's dragons are not our concern. Whether he feeds them or not, they seem to be doing just fine. Let's focus on what we need to do. Besides, he might just feed them whenever he steps out or something."
Hiroshi paused, looking at Razorgrin with a shocked expression on his face. "Who are you and what have you done with Razorgrin!"
"The heck, Hiroshi? You hit your head back in sector X or something?" Razorgrin asked with a slightly annoyed tone.
"Of course not. You're the odd one. Your natural response should have been something like, 'I bet he feeds his dragons in dungeons he secretly raids, and he takes all he earns from them and keeps all the gains to himself. I'm sure that's why he asked for permission to disobey orders and that he wouldn't be raiding dungeons!' Yeah, something like that."Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Razorgrin let out a sigh. "I'm just not in the mood for something like that. Besides, Ren says he trusts the kid, and I trust Ren, so I'm willing to give him a chance. How he feeds his dragons isn't our problem; it's what he does to help us and the guild that is."
Hiroshi nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, you're right. But it still makes you wonder."
As they stood there, the morning sun began to rise in the distance, casting long shadows. Razorgrin gave Hiroshi a pat on the shoulder. "Although I would be lying if I said I've completely accepted him, a part of me still hates the kid."
"See! That's the Razorgrin I know!" Hiroshi said with a smile. "Had me worried you got replaced by some shape-shifting monster from one of those sci-fi movies."
"Oh, shut up, Hiroshi," Razorgrin said with a sharp tone.
"Hehe. You're gonna have to make me," Hiroshi teased.
...
Meanwhile, as they soared through the sky, Terra couldn't help but ask, "What are you going to do now, my lord?"
Alister, seated confidently atop her head, considered for a moment. "First things first, I'm going to have my second awakening."
"Is that so?" Terra asked, her voice filled with curiosity and a touch of excitement.
"Yes."
"And also..."
"I'll be summoning my first dragon horde."