Chapter 242: Chapter 241: Lurans’s Expectation

Regardless of whether Lurans had prepared himself, seeing the Giant Dragon up close still left him deeply shaken.

Its frame was massive, its head savage, and its tail like a steel whip. The sight alone was incredibly oppressive.

Its body was covered in a dense coat of ice-blue scales, their edges streaked with red markings, making it look as if it were perpetually bathed in blood—a constant projection of carnage and brutality.

Lurans had seen his share of Magical Beasts—massive ones, hideous ones—but never one that radiated such a natural pressure, such an aura of royalty.

This pressure didn’t stem from a disparity in power, but rather from a subtle psychological effect.

It was like a mouse freezing in fear at the sight of a cat.

Of course, for a worldly Meteor Knight like Lurans, while he was shaken, he quickly regained his composure. He was a long way from being petrified with terror.

His own Magical Beast, the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast, however, was restless and agitated.

It didn’t know whether to flee or stand its ground, and could only let out an anxious whimper, looking to its master for help.

Lurans gave it a reassuring glance. Perhaps due to their spiritual bond, the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast gradually settled down.

Carlos glanced at the beast. “Master, I sense a very faint trace of the Giant Dragon bloodline in this Magical Beast!”

His tongue flickered. ’A Magical Beast like this would surely be delicious. But its master is clearly connected to my master, so I can’t eat it.’

Ronin was surprised. He hadn’t expected the Thunderbolt Wind Chasing Beast to actually have a Giant Dragon bloodline; he’d always thought that was just a rumor.

Lurans’s gaze flickered. He could tell the Giant Dragon was communicating with Ronin, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying.

But of one thing he was certain: the young man before him was destined for achievements that would be no less than his own.

“How did you manage to tame him?”

“Carlos was in a weakened state at the time. I seized the opportunity to climb onto his back. After he dragged me through the sky and into the sea, he was completely exhausted. I conquered him then and successfully signed a contract.”

He said it so casually, but Lurans could hear the heart-stopping danger in his words.

Who but the most courageous would dare climb onto a Giant Dragon’s back? To be dragged through the sky and into the sea… it was a near-death ordeal.

“You are very brave, my boy!”

Lurans said with admiration, “I am proud of your courage!”

His gaze returned to Carlos.

“His body is a few sizes smaller than the more powerful Griffins, but a Griffin reaching the Sixth-level is its absolute limit. Your Giant Dragon’s potential should be far greater.”

Ronin had seen the squadron of Griffins that escorted Blanche before. Most of them were at the level of a Fourth-level Magical Beast and were smaller than Carlos.

However, Vice Leader Broel’s Fifth-level Griffin was nearly the same size as the Giant Dragon.

’The ’powerful individuals’ Lurans spoke of must be Sixth-level Griffins,’ Ronin thought, ’though I’ve never seen one myself.’

“So, you’re saying Carlos wouldn’t have an advantage against a flock of Griffins?”

Lurans grew thoughtful, then finally shook his head. “Size is only one factor. The outcome would depend on an actual battle.”

He looked at the Giant Dragon’s scales. “May I touch him?”

“Of course!” Ronin said with a smile.

Lurans slowly approached and reached out to touch the cold scales.

Carlos was not one to warm up to strange humans, but since his master had given permission, he could only let out a displeased huff and allow the man to touch him.

He had been paying the old man no mind, but he didn’t expect the man to suddenly flick a finger against his scales. A huge impact struck him with a loud CLANG, and he actually felt a sting of pain.

“Master, he…” Carlos started to complain.

Ronin gestured for him to calm down.

Lurans coughed twice. Mobilizing that bit of Fighting Qi had left him feeling uncomfortable.

He felt the scale he had just flicked. There wasn’t the slightest hint of a dent.

“Impressive defense. Not even a Sixth-level Griffin could compare to your Giant Dragon. What Level is he as a Magical Beast?”

“He just reached the Sixth-level.”

Ronin didn’t hide anything. “He was only at the Fifth-level when I tamed him.”

“To have such powerful defenses right after reaching the Sixth-level… Truly worthy of the legendary Giant Dragons!”

Lurans couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. Magical Beasts were truly blessed by the heavens. They didn’t need to train or cultivate, yet in some respects, they were born stronger than humans.

“I wonder what his upper limit is. He should be able to reach the Eighth or Ninth Level, right?”

A Ninth Level Magical Beast—an existence on par with a human Great Mage or a Proud Sun Knight. Lurans had never seen one with his own eyes.

’A legendary Giant Dragon should be capable of reaching that level, right?’

But his assessment was far too conservative.

Ronin said, “According to Carlos’s ancestral memories, he is the descendant of a Legendary Level Giant Dragon. By rights, he should have the potential to become Legendary Level himself.”

Lurans’s pupils contracted. Legendary Level!

He stared at the Giant Dragon in disbelief, his expression even more stunned than when he had first laid eyes on it.

Above the Proud Sun Level is the Legendary Level, but that rank was merely a concept of legend.

As far as Lurans knew, in the nine hundred years of recorded history on the Orland Continent, it seemed only the Empire’s first Great Emperor was said to have reached the Legendary Level.

Since the fall of the first Great Emperor, no other Legendary figure had appeared on the continent.

And this Giant Dragon… actually had the potential to become a Legendary Level being!

Lurans looked at Ronin, his gaze more fervent than ever before.

“Do you know what the Legendary Level means?”

Ronin’s expression grew serious. “What does it mean?”

Lurans chuckled, his tone profound. “It means you could establish a kingdom.”

He quickly corrected himself. “No, not just a kingdom—an Empire!”

Ronin’s eyes flashed. “The Legendary Level… just how powerful is that?”

Lurans shook his head. He was only a Seventh-level Meteor Knight. While that put him among the ranks of the powerful, he only had a vague idea of how strong a Proud Sun Knight truly was.

It wasn’t that he was uninformed; there were simply too few experts at the Proud Sun Level for him to have ever encountered one.

“It’s said that even a Proud Sun Knight can be killed by the combined efforts of Low Level Knights. But once one advances to the Legendary Level, everything changes. They can no longer be defeated by a simple encirclement.”

Below the Legendary Level, numbers can still decide a battle.

But once you reach the Legendary Level, numerical superiority becomes meaningless.

Hearing this, Ronin’s heart pounded with excitement. He longed to witness for himself the pinnacle of power in this world.

“What you lack now is time.”

Lurans said, “The time it will take for your Giant Dragon to grow to the Legendary Level.”

His words were so awkward that not only Ronin, but even Carlos felt a bit embarrassed.

“Grandfather, you may not know this, but Carlos is already over two hundred and sixty years old. By the time he grows to the Legendary Level, it will likely be another seven or eight hundred years.”

Lurans was stunned. “A Giant Dragon’s growth period is that long?”

The time it takes for a Magical Beast to grow from birth to its peak strength varies.

Some take only a few years, while others can take a decade or more.

Lurans knew Giant Dragons were extraordinary and had estimated it might take several decades, perhaps even a century.

Given Ronin’s aptitude, it was entirely possible for him to live for over a century, barring any accidents.

But he had never imagined a Giant Dragon’s growth period could span several centuries.

“That was my ignorance, then.”

Lurans sighed, thinking it was a shame.

Seven or eight hundred years… By then, not only would he and Ronin be long gone, but so would Ronin’s sons and grandsons.

“Still, with a Sixth-level Giant Dragon watching over the territory, I no longer have to worry about your safety.”

He shook off his regret, his expression once again filled with hope. “What you need to do now is improve steadily, manage your territory well, and expand your influence. I believe your future achievements will be no less than my own!”

Lurans was in his twilight years, yet his eyes were filled with hope for the future. It was as if he could already see the day the Wushan Family would give rise to a Duke.

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