nucmednet Chapter 215 The Third Sleep
Chapter 215 The Third Sleep
Chapter 215 The Third Sleep
Winters in the wilderness aren't particularly harsh or long; thanks to the volcanoes, temperatures in Thor's territory are consistently above freezing.
Before we knew it, the whole winter had quietly slipped away. The moist, warm wind blew in from the south, but was intercepted halfway by the volcanic ash that erupted from the volcano, turning into a light drizzle.
Nutrient-rich rainwater nourishes the soil, and seeds of various crops sprout and grow vigorously, absorbing the energy of the sun.
As the corn and potatoes complete their cycle of life, the temperature has already climbed to the hottest time of the year.
The scorching sun baked the earth, and the heat continuously emitted by the volcanic lava turned the entire hilly area into a terrifying high-temperature furnace.
Some tourists, unable to bear the scorching heat, soon chose to leave Sol's territory.
Even some of the participants in the gladiatorial combat felt somewhat uncomfortable as a result, and after their performance declined, they voluntarily reduced the number of times they appeared in the arena.
The popularity of the three arenas also began to cool down. After all, they had been held for more than half a year, and even the most exciting scenes would inevitably become numb after repeated viewing.
The audience in the territory has changed many times over. Apart from a few die-hard fans who are born with a bloodlust, it is almost impossible to find the original figures anymore.
Despite these seemingly unfavorable influences, Thor was unconcerned, because a month ago he had already accumulated enough essence to extract the Ancient Dragon template.
Even his hidden cave deep within the underground magma was filled with various exchanged minerals and energy crystals. He had not yet entered slumber; he was merely making final preparations.
Starting two weeks ago, Thor has reduced the number of times he appears in public, spending most of his time in the volcano, only going out once every two or three days, and this interval is constantly getting longer.
Herds of cattle and sheep were driven from the wilderness grasslands beyond the low hills and mountains, and after being processed, they were continuously thrown into the volcano, where they were devoured.
While various energy crystals and minerals are excellent supplements, flesh and blood are equally important to the red dragon. Only by taking both into account can it be considered a complete body.
The result of his frenzied eating was that even with Thor's metabolism, he couldn't fully absorb all the energy and nutrients. The subcutaneous fat continued to thicken, supporting the heavy scales and causing his burly body to swell into a spherical shape little by little.
This is also one of the main reasons why Thor doesn't go out often. Otherwise, if other creatures saw that the great red dragon was so fat, they would laugh themselves to death.
But this was something Thor couldn't do. The sleep of a true dragon across age groups was somewhat similar to the hibernation of a bear. Naturally, the more energy stored in its body, the better, and it didn't care about its appearance.
After some time, the popularity of the three arenas dropped significantly again due to Thor's prolonged absence.
Then one morning, everyone received an order from the kobolds: the great red dragon had grown tired of the fighting among the insects and would be focusing on studying magic for some time to come; all arenas were to be closed.
Some participants who were just a little short of reaching 100 points were struck dumb upon hearing the news, and they desperately begged Thor not to stop.
Even more distressed were the demon warlocks who had set up rituals in the arena. They were almost ready to gather enough energy to open the passage to the abyss, but why did it suddenly stop?
Immediately, dissenting voices arose, and complaints were incessant.
Unfortunately, to Thor, these sounds were nothing more than the buzzing of flies; they wouldn't even reach his ears if he didn't want to listen.
Left with no other choice, most creatures had to either endure or retreat temporarily, while only a few, unwilling to give up, continued to search for an opportunity.
What they didn't know was that in the past six months, the thermophilic fungus that Thor brought from the Underdark's Fungal Homeland had spread throughout the underground area within a radius of several kilometers centered on the volcano through fission and spore propagation.
That dense network of orange-red mycelium is just like the blood vessels of the earth.
Several dark red fungus-men, resembling lumps of iron, quietly grew on the original fungal carpet, absorbing the nutrients and energy transmitted back by the mycelium while using it as an extension of their senses to monitor all activity within this area.
Thor's "eyes" can detect the actions of any living being, and those with particularly abnormal behavior are placed under close surveillance and nipped in the bud.
Another half month passed before the aftermath of the arena's closure finally subsided. Many creatures either returned to their homelands or ventured into the wilderness in search of new opportunities, while only a few chose to stay.
Feeling that the time was ripe, one late night, Thor, dragging his increasingly bloated body, once again plunged into the depths of the boiling lava.
As he descended, the originally orange-red magma became increasingly hot, its brightness gradually increasing until it turned into a dazzling white. A void suspended in the rolling heat also appeared in Thor's perception.
He plunged headlong into the barrier made of magic, and what came into view was a circular space with a diameter of about 100 meters. Large amounts of dragon crystals and radiant dragon stones were piled up like small mountains, and various precious minerals were scattered all around.
Thor crawled over with heavy steps, his fat jiggling with each movement, his bulging neck and tail looking like fermented bread.
He glanced at the essence balance displayed in his mind. Apart from the 10 points he used to extract the Ancient Dragon Monster template, there was still a small surplus. He immediately used his consciousness to tap, and a basketball-sized ether crystal fell into his claws, which he swallowed in one gulp.
He then circled around, encircling the priceless treasure in the center, and folded his exceptionally large wings to cover his entire body.
Each time a true dragon slumbers across different age groups, it is of utmost importance, especially since Thor is about to extract the first Elder Dragon template in the dragon's life.
This made his heart race and his emotions stirred with a long-lost excitement. He silently prayed to that old woman Tiamat, hoping she would bring him good luck.
Then, with a desperate, all-or-nothing attitude, he slammed his finger down on the sixth level of the giant roulette wheel in his mind. The 100,000 points of essence instantly vanished, transforming into a dazzling galaxy that plunged straight into it.
A thunderous roar seemed to echo in his mind, while the flashing lights firmly attracted Thor's gaze.
Time seemed to have passed for a long time, but in reality it was only a moment. On the small square that was covered, a magnificent beast was depicted in red and silver.
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