Even though the Plutonium Dragon egg had perished, its value remained immeasurably high. In the hands of skilled alchemists, it could be transformed into incredibly powerful magic artifacts. Saron pondered and decided to incorporate it as an ingredient in the upcoming feast he planned to host.

Swallowing the egg whole would be the epitome of folly. Even with Saron's robust constitution, such an act would assuredly lead to his demise—either through lethal radiation poisoning or an explosive end. With this in mind, Saron began to weave earth magic, manipulating the surrounding soil and stone to gently enshroud the egg. These elements were infused with particles from the Plutonium Dragon egg, and Saron resolved to consume them as well, anticipating a potential monumental transformation.

After securing the egg, Saron spread his wings and temporarily vacated the area, sensing his bodily functions were beginning to falter after prolonged exposure to the site.

...

"Master actually saved you?" Shaldar looked upon the half-beasts with skepticism in the heart of the Rose Tribe's enclave. He had expected a formidable group, not this collection of the infirm and frail.

"Don't forget your mission, Shaldar," Winnie dismissed his scoffing without a second glance. The Rose Tribe, in its heyday, wasn't intimidated by the forest trolls. Now, it seemed they were getting the upper hand.

"Ha! Of course, I remember my task. It's to find an iron ore vein, isn't it?" Shaldar laughed, pointing toward Vix, the goblin chief who had already located the deposit. Vix could only offer a sheepish grin as an apology.

At that moment, the sky seemed to darken, and Saron's immense silhouette descended from above. The scent of blood clung to him—he had encountered and slain several fierce beasts on his way here, utilized to mend the wounds on his scales.

"What's going on here?" Saron's deep voice boomed as he surveyed the assembled group and nonchalantly set Misa down on the ground.

"Lord Saron, we've located a vein of Mithril ore!" Shaldar rushed forward to report.

"And the estimated reserves?" Saron inquired, eyeing Vix for the answer.

"Your Excellency, the True Dragon, the reserves are truly astonishing, far surpassing those of the Topaz mine!" Vix responded humbly.

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"Excellent!" Saron thought to himself. That should provide sustenance for a good while.

"Lady Winnie," Saron acknowledged her with a nod as she bowed in respect.

"Winnie, I've uncovered the cause of the changes around your tribal lands," Saron informed her.

"Shaldar, begin the mining operations for this iron ore at once!" he commanded succinctly.

"As you command!" Shaldar thumped his chest in affirmation.

"Winnie, move your people to the Sunset Forest to find a new settlement, and Shaldar can assist you," Saron instructed.

"I need to find a place to slumber and rejuvenate. Attend to your tasks!" Saron stated before turning his attention elsewhere.

"Shaldar, the item I had you carry, where is it?" Saron queried.

"Right here, Lord Saron!" Shaldar presented a magical device, the spoils from the prince Saron had previously slain.

Saron's consciousness delved into the device, finding it filled to the brim with Topaz ore.

"Very good," he nodded in approval before taking to the skies. It was time to commence the feast at the location of the Plutonium Dragon egg.

After some time in flight, Saron returned to the site where he had found the egg. Upon arrival, he carved out a cavern in the crater large enough to accommodate his massive form and brought the dragon egg inside.

In the pitch-blackness of the cave, Saron's crimson eyes fixed on the main course of his feast.

"Let the feast begin!" he declared.

As the familiar pangs of hunger surged, the aroma of the dragon egg became intoxicating.

The aroma this time was more intense than ever before. Without any hesitation, Saron began his feast with gusto. Crunch, crunch—the eggshell, along with the surrounding earth, was devoured bite by bite. Perhaps it was just his impression, but Saron felt an even greater hunger this time.

It wasn't until after consuming the Plutonium Dragon egg and some ores that the grand banquet finally came to an end. In the darkness of the cavern, Saron watched as his body began to undergo a slow transformation. A golden glow of energy coalesced and flowed into his heart, then out again, working next to it to forge something new. Under this golden energy's guidance, an organ resembling a heart began to take shape, with golden lines radiating from this new substance to the rest of his body, akin to nascent blood vessels.

This transformation was exceedingly slow; Saron felt it was taking longer than all previous banquets combined. Finally, as the core of his being completed its metamorphosis, his body began to grow larger and more robust...

Meanwhile, in the Sarania Kingdom, within the walls of Walton City, the Walton family was in a state of unease. Victor Walton, the muscular, golden-haired patriarch of the Walton family, scrutinized a map spread before him. "Our slave-hunting unit has been missing for days with no word," he grumbled.

"But we cannot launch a full-scale search just yet!" interjected a middle-aged man, massaging his temples. Their family operated several such units, but this one was the strongest, always capturing prime 'merchandise.' Slavery was a commonplace affair, but the Walton family's operations went beyond capturing slaves of different races. They would sometimes snatch up common-born warriors, renowned merchants, or beautiful girls—all highly valuable commodities in certain markets.

However, these activities couldn't be conducted under the Walton name. Furthermore, their units were powerful and could handle much more than slave-catching, such as dealing with individuals who shouldn't exist.

"Their deaths are inconsequential; we've more than made our profit from them. But what if what Lathos said about the massive Mithril ore vein is true? It could be of extraordinary significance to our family," Victor pondered.

"The last report they sent urged discretion; Lathos wouldn't dare deceive us," one advisor noted.

A wolfish gleam sparkled in Victor's eyes. "With such an abundance of Mithril, we could expand our army and overthrow the rotten royal house!"

"Tarom, you will lead an investigation yourself; this is crucial for our family," Victor commanded with icy resolve.

"Yes, sir!" Tarom responded with a bow, accepting the critical mission.