Chapter 658

Chapter 658: Dragon Training

That night, as Jesse returned inside the city gates, he felt the imp was much closer now.

Though he couldn’t see it with Detect Demon, its presence meant the imp had entered Grim Batol.

All day, many patrollers and dragon riders had searched for the murderer or missing Orcs, so they must have used that chance to sneak in.

But Nekros saying they had to wait another day to meet the Red Dragon Queen made Jesse uneasy. After another sleepless night, he might feel more tired and scatterbrained, but that was better than being dragged into Deathwing’s dreams.

He wondered if using a Living Ice Crystal could help him recover, at least easing the fatigue from two nights without sleep.

Upon reaching his room, he was thinking how to deal with Nekros in the Red Dragon Queen’s prison when he suddenly heard a whisper, "Jesse Seso…"

He spun around, thinking an Orc had recognized him, but realized it was the imp calling again.

Molofeel had already told them where the Red Dragon Queen was, so it wasn’t about that, and the call sounded weak, meaning they were in trouble.

Jesse sensed the imp was on a lower level, but he needed to get closer to use Detect Demon accurately.

At that moment, two Dragonmaw guards watched him, making it hard to sneak off and help. Nekros must have thought one guard could be charmed by Molofeel, so he put two there.

"I want to see your dragon eggs," he said.

"Ask the Warlord for permission," one guard told the other.

"Zog—Zog." The guard thumped his chest and jogged toward Kadrus Iron Anvil. "We’ll wait here, messenger."

The guard stood aside, glaring at Molofeel with a tense face, clearly afraid she might charm him.

Jesse didn’t want to waste Molofeel’s magic on him. Soon, the guard returned and nodded, "The Warlord agreed."

"Very well, messenger," the guard said. "We’ll take you."

"Good," Jesse said.

He followed the two Dragonmaw Orcs down the steps through the city. Jesse kept scanning with Detect Demon until he sensed the imp in a dim dwarven room.

That must be where Vereesa and Greed hid.

A nearby passage led down to the Hatching Chamber, but the platform between the dwarven room and the corridor was wide. A group of Dragonmaw Orcs trained a dragonlet to accept a rider.

There were few hiding spots—only tall stone pillars for cover. Even if an elf and a dwarf rushed across, they’d struggle to avoid the Orc trainers.

This was likely their trouble; drinking Invisibility Potions wouldn’t help. Even with two vials each, they couldn’t get through the corridor into the Hatching Chamber and the Red Dragon Queen’s room.

They needed to hide in the Hatching Chamber and wait for tomorrow.

Amid annoyed screeches, Jesse searched for a hiding spot or a way for both to pass, focusing on the dragonlet.

The dragonlet looked better than before—sturdier and more obedient—but still weak and unhappy with the training.

"Are all your dragonlets like this?" Jesse asked.

"All as spirited as this one, messenger," one guard said. Jesse thought it needed more spirit.

He looked back at Molofeel, then at the dragonlet. Molofeel squinted, and Jesse knew she understood.

"I don’t call this spirit; it’s anger and dissatisfaction," Jesse chuckled. "Hard to imagine what accidents might happen riding such a mount in battle."

A guard snapped, "We Dragonmaw clan are beast-training masters; the Blackrock Clan hides in their forts. Leave it to professionals, warlock; don’t judge what you don’t know!"

"You know nothing of taming, just as we don’t of dark magic," another added.

"True," Jesse nodded. "But I’m just describing what I see."

Right then, the disgruntled dragonlet screeched furiously and smacked a trainer behind it with its tail, sending him flying!

The sudden move startled Jesse, let alone the guards. The trainer fell into the abyss, and chaos broke out…

All trainers and soldiers rushed in with ropes and hooks to control the dragonlet, but the giant beast seemed mad, attacking anyone near. It even spat flames that engulfed half the square, nearly hitting Jesse and forcing him back.

He couldn’t use magic then; casting a spell would make him the center of attention.

The Dragonmaw Orcs yelled as they handled the dragonlet; flames and smoke filled the air. Jesse watched as the dragonlet threw people against walls or into the abyss. The two guards watching him had to rush to help.

Jesse straightened his collar and stood firm, whispering, "Curse of Recklessness, right?"

"Yes, master, but it’s stronger than I thought," Molofeel said, tilting her head.

"Fine; the scarier, the better," Jesse glanced at the high dwarven room where Vereesa and Greed hid. He saw two shadows slip past pillars toward the corridor.

Jesse checked around to make sure they weren’t noticed, relieved. But just as he thought his trick worked, heavy footsteps echoed from the Hatching Chamber, and a tall shadow appeared…

It was a giant over four meters tall with a dragon tail, a misshapen head with uneven horns, dragon claws for feet, and a dark brown chest plate over blood-red scales that gleamed.

A bipedal Drakonid?!

How did the Dragonmaw Orcs get such a beast to guard the Red Dragon Queen’s room? Was it summoned to help?

As it appeared, Vereesa and Greed had just reached the doorway, less than ten meters away!

Jesse gulped and gripped his magic wand; Molofeel watched anxiously. The two shadows froze at the footsteps and ducked behind a pillar, but the beast moved too fast.

The Drakonid glanced down at their hiding spot but did nothing. It marched toward the rampaging dragonlet.

Roaring in dragon tongue, it grabbed the dragonlet’s neck and pinned it down. After a struggle, the dragonlet howled in submission as the curse faded.

The situation calmed, but Jesse’s heart pounded.

The shadows were gone; they’d likely sneaked in. After dealing with the dragonlet, the Drakonid walked back slowly, seeming unaware.

Did it spot Vereesa and Greed?

That glance was clear… the beast looked right at their hiding spot, and Jesse saw it. Molofeel must have too, but it showed no reaction, just answered the Orcs’ call.

The Red Dragon was on their side, Jesse thought.

When the guards returned, covered in ash and embers, Jesse asked, "Is this common?"

"Not often!" one said. "Strange. But it’s handled. We’ll take you to the Hatching Chamber, messenger."

"I’m not in the mood," Jesse pointed shakily at the bound dragonlet. "You should keep these dragonlets in line; you’re meeting Nekros and the Red Dragon Queen tomorrow anyway."