The giant footfalls pounded the ground as Li Fan sprinted towards them.
Before long, the Elder Dragon sensed a silk thread controlling its left leg being yanked with considerable force, quickly raising its guard.
While countless hunters climbed its chest, only the female hunter, currently engaged in a tug-of-war with it, could truly reach and pose a threat.
In a pure test of strength, the Elder Dragon would undoubtedly overpower humans. However, this strength was distributed among binding its joints and maneuvering the Giant's Ruin.
If another helper joined, and they both pulled on the same silk thread, it might lose control of an arm.
After a moment of feeling the shifting anchor point of the ascending silk thread, the Giant's Ruin lifted its left arm.
*Clang...*
The four fingers, composed of steel beams, slowly unfurled.
*Whoosh~*
Seeing the giant palm sweep towards him, Li Fan immediately unbound a silk thread attached to his body.
There were two such silk threads, used to secure his body by wrapping around the golden threads on either side, preventing him from being thrown off.
As his body swung to the side, the giant palm descended.
*Boom!* Earth and stone cracked, dust billowed.
A palm-shaped indentation appeared on the giant's waist.
Li Fan spotted a silk thread, released a Wirebug to secure himself, and commented, "Its movements aren't quite coordinated yet. There's still a lot of room for improvement."
"But the Elder Dragon probably won't listen to your advice, meow?" Dilu asked curiously.
"Legendary hunters, without Poké Balls, could establish a deep friendship with the Elder Dragon. I should be able to do the same," Li Fan explained.
"So that's how it is, meow... Acting with sufficient intel definitely makes things much easier!" Dilu felt that in the past, it would have likely come to a fight.
However, upon learning that it was all Sofia's scheme and the Elder Dragon harbored no ill will towards humans, their entire approach changed.
"The Giant's Ruin is too closely modeled after human anatomy. The elbow joints can't bend backward, and the deltoids are so large... It seems the back is the best route."
After Li Fan planned his route, he continued to climb upwards, using two silk threads for stability and one golden silk thread for traction.
The Elder Dragon sensed the pulling force and shifted its attention to another silk thread.
It raised its arm, intending to strike.
*Clang...*
The bent and retracted left arm froze in mid-air, the palm unable to advance further.
Looking at the raised giant palm, Dilu exclaimed in realization, "The back is so itchy, and it can't scratch it. Is that why, meow?"
Upon reaching the giant's shoulder, Li Fan leaped down, used a silk thread to pull himself through the hole opened by Pazizi, and flew into the control room.
"Just in time! Li Fan, quickly help me!" Pazizi, who was pulling back on a silk thread, was delighted by Li Fan's arrival.
"Wait a moment! Dilu! Paper and pen!"
"Huh?... Alright." Pazizi couldn't understand what paper and pen would be useful for at this moment.
Li Fan took the paper and pen and quickly sketched, forming the outline of an Elder Dragon's head with sharp horns.
"The Elder Dragon is approaching. You came here to confront it, didn't you?" Li Fan said, shaking the paper in his hand.
The Elder Dragon tilted its head, its purple compound eyes suddenly brightening as it observed.
Unfortunately, with its claw-like tail controlling its legs and its scythe-like arms controlling its upper body, it couldn't respond.
"If I'm not mistaken, make the Giant's Ruin form an 'OK' gesture, like this." Li Fan immediately extended his hand as a demonstration.
The Elder Dragon's left scythe-like arm began to sway.
Li Fan looked out from the concave pit in its chest and saw the four-fingered giant palm making a gesture.
"What kind of gesture is that... Never mind, let's just assume it is." Seeing the four fingers trembling as they attempted to spread, Li Fan thought perhaps the movement was too intricate for the Elder Dragon to replicate at the moment.
"Pazizi, stop the tug-of-war. The Elder Dragon wants to pass through the battle street and leave the city to confront the approaching Elder Dragon," Li Fan informed him.
"Huh? Did I miss some crucial intel?" Pazizi expressed his confusion.
"The situation is a bit complicated, and there's no time to explain. Please go back and inform the Guild to redeploy all military forces to the mountain stronghold."
"Why me?"
"You are a top hunter. Only when information is conveyed by someone with sufficient authority will the Guild accept it," Li Fan explained.
"Are you absolutely sure... it won't cause any harm?" Pazizi hesitated.
"I will remain here until the threat is completely neutralized. Otherwise, even if we work together to restrain its right arm, we won't be able to prevent the Giant's Ruin from charging through the city with its body," Li Fan stated seriously.
"Alright... I will relay your intel to the Guild." After a moment of hesitation, Pazizi released the silk thread in his hand, turned, shouldered his Diablos Hammer, and approached the broken opening in its chest.
"Li Fan, not everything can be carried alone to be considered a Chief Hunter. Remember to use your signal flares often."
"Understood." Pazizi gave a somewhat worried reminder, then used a Wirebug to leap out of the giant's chest.
Li Fan turned to observe, finding the external view too limited. He asked, "Uh... I don't know what to call you, but anyway, the hunter's attack will cease soon. This metal shield is severely obstructing my vision. Do you mind if I modify it?"
*Clang...*
He heard the sound of steel beams rubbing against each other from the external fingers.
Li Fan peered out and saw that the 'OK' gesture made by the giant palm had improved significantly compared to before.
*Clang! Crackle! Crackle!*
With a strike from the Thunderclap Raging Blade, a rectangular gap was created in the thick metal plate used for protection.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
As it walked, shaking the ground, the entire Dongdoruma district came into view, with the Guild Headquarters tower not far ahead.
In the top-floor Grand Hall, Zudda pondered for a moment and, despite dissenting opinions, believed the intel delivered by Pazizi. However, he remained wary of the approaching Giant's Ruin.
Blue signal flares, signaling retreat and evacuation, continuously exploded in the sky.
Li Fan, who had come to the control room to observe, confirmed that the Giant's Ruin was not deviating from its course and then turned his gaze towards the Guild Headquarters not far ahead. He was looking for any potential demolition markers.
The "Turn Misfortune into Fortune" ability was indeed powerful, but the Elder Dragon's passive trigger wouldn't activate unless it was involved. Even if it did, Li Fan, being near the Elder Dragon, was confident he could awaken it, just like Dilu.
On the observation lift, a figure quickly caught Li Fan's attention. It was Sofia, draped in an old-fashioned receptionist's shawl. Coincidentally, she also noticed Li Fan at the same moment.
As the Giant's Ruin approached, everyone at Guild Headquarters was on high alert. Only these two, gazing at each other, paid no attention.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
The Giant's Ruin passed by the side of the Guild Headquarters, crossing the battle street. When they were closest, Sofia smiled, waved, and called out, "Hunter! Have a safe journey!"
*Thump! Splash! Thump! Splash!*
A rhythmic stomping also echoed within the mountain stronghold, but it was heavier and accompanied by the sound of falling debris.
Tomato
On the high slopes on either side of the mountain, members of the Fortress Guard pushed large bomb barrels horizontally, advancing towards the summit. Even as the bomb barrels were pushed off the cliff, confirmed to detonate on the back of the Elder Dragon, covered in leaf-like thick scales, the faces of the Fortress Guard members showed no sign of relief. They quickly descended the mountain to the rail car transport points, solely to gain a little more time to transport the next bomb barrel.
Within the large mountain transfer tunnel, constructed from numerous steel beams. The Dragonkin Guild Master leaned against the dark rock wall, his dusty armor and beard and eyebrows coated in gray dust, making him resemble a giant sculpture from ancient times. Breathing heavily, his aged, four-fingered hand grasped a large wooden barrel placed on the ground. As an entire barrel of water was poured into his mouth, the Dragonkin Guild Master coughed violently. A sound like a booming bell echoed through the tunnel as the Guild Master slowly raised his hand to cover his mouth.
"Guild Master! You cannot fight in this condition!" At his feet, the Fortress Guard Captain, clad in silver armor, shouted up in reminder.
"I... can... *cough! cough!*" The Guild Master supported himself with the sheath of his worn-out sword amidst his coughing. The Fortress Guard Captain hung his head in despair.
Through the mountain transfer tunnels, the Fortress Guard and hunter teams could move rapidly through the winding mountains, reaching the Elder Dragon's inevitable path in advance to intercept it multiple times. Due to the Dragonkin Guild Master's immense size, which allowed him to pass through, and the fact that there were only three such large mountain transfer tunnels opened at ground level within the mountain stronghold. According to past combat deployments, even in dire situations, the Guild Master would only use the transfer tunnels for two frontal interceptions. This was because each sortie placed an enormous burden on him in terms of stamina consumption and injuries, beyond which he might not be able to bear. Furthermore, this frequency of sorties was tailored for the Guild Master of many years ago.
Currently, the Guild Master had completed two sorties, successfully intercepting the Elder Dragon and assisting the Fortress Guard in concentrated attacks. However, this time, apart from the Fortress Guard and the Guild Master, there was almost no additional support involved. The Elder Dragon's attitude was also particularly resolute; not only was its speed faster than before, but the thickness of its scales was also beyond expectations.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
Just as the Fortress Guard Captain felt despair, a rail car carrying a hunter team entered the large mountain transfer tunnel.
"Greetings, Guild Master! We bring the latest intel from headquarters. Director Zudda says the Elder Dragon crisis has been resolved, and all combat units are being mobilized to the mountain stronghold," the young male hunter shouted his report.
"This... Wait, wasn't the previous intel about the supply depot's warehouse being in critical condition, and Dongdoruma being at risk of falling? It's resolved so quickly?" the Fortress Guard Captain said incredulously.
"To be honest, we find it strange too. The Giant's Ruin hasn't been destroyed, yet headquarters issued a withdrawal order. However, the Elder Dragon's attack has indeed ceased," the young male hunter informed him.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
As the tremors gradually intensified, the Guild Master looked towards the tunnel entrance and muttered, "It's getting faster again..."
"What do you mean, Guild Master?" the Fortress Guard Captain asked, confused.
"It's more agitated than before," the Guild Master said, planting his worn-out sword on the ground and moving towards the tunnel entrance.
"Guild Master! Reinforcements are arriving soon!" the Fortress Guard Captain immediately shouted.
"I'm going. I'll leave this to you. Guide them," the Guild Master said, his heavy footsteps quickening slightly.
*Thump! Thump! Thump!*
The Fortress Guard Captain wanted to stop him but suddenly realized something. He stood still, listening to the dreamlike tremors. The frequency of the sound was increasing.
"Uh... Is this the fastest it can go?" Li Fan asked the Elder Dragon from the cockpit, with a hint of curiosity.
The Elder Dragon dropped the silk thread from its right scythe-like arm to the ground, and the Giant's Ruin stood still.
"I'm not saying you're slow. It's just that those rail cars that departed with us have already left the city, and we've been traveling for half a day, yet we're still far from the city," Li Fan said, moving to the edge and pointing at the tracks below.
*Creak!*
The Elder Dragon drew a checkmark on the ground with its right scythe-like arm. Li Fan then realized that it wasn't sulking but responding to his previous question, indicating that this was indeed its fastest speed.
"Why don't you run?" Li Fan tried asking.
The Elder Dragon drew an 'X' on the ground with its scythe-like arm.
"So you can't... Wait, why is this tremor frequency getting faster and faster?" Li Fan hadn't noticed anything while the Giant's Ruin was moving before.
"No, when will we ever reach the mountain stronghold at this rate?" Li Fan sat down and scratched his head.
"How about letting the Elder Dragon turn into its cat form, meow? It would get there quickly," Dilu suggested.
"No, even if it could transform, a humanoid mech hasn't learned to run fast... Wait, a humanoid mech is also piloted by a person, isn't it?"
"What do you mean, meow?"
"I'm a person, and I can run!"
"Uh... that's a strange thing to say, meow." Dilu was speechless.
"Elder Dragon, give me some silk threads!" Li Fan called out.
The Elder Dragon stopped controlling the Giant's Ruin and raised its claw-like tail, spitting at Li Fan.
"Not the sticky kind. I need ones that can be stretched taut and will give you a sense of touch when they make contact. If you can control the thickness, make them as thin as possible," Li Fan said, wrapped in a ball of silk threads.
*Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!* Countless thin, golden silk threads erupted from its claw-like tail.
"Dilu, give me a hand."
"Okay... Meow!" Dilu grabbed Li Fan by the collar with its cat paws and pulled with all its might.
*Swoosh!* The Elder Dragon flicked a silk thread into it. The sticky silk thread mass quickly solidified, turning into individual silk threads that fell to the ground. Li Fan picked up the thin silk threads and, with Dilu's assistance, began to wrap them around his joints. Once all the wrapping was done, Li Fan turned his back towards the Elder Dragon.
"Time might be tight, but if it's you, you'll surely grasp it quickly." Seeing Li Fan make running motions and feeling the rhythm transmitted through the silk threads wrapped around his joints, the Elder Dragon immediately understood how to control the running motion.
*Clang!*
After a dull metallic rumble, the Giant's Ruin bent its knees and slowly leaned forward.
*Thump!* ... *Thump!* .. *Thump!* . *Thump! Thump! Thump!*
A cloud of dust rose on the Dongdoruma battle street. The Giant's Ruin swung its arms and began to run at a brisk pace.