Reborn as a Dragon:Rise of The Draconic King-Chapter 62 - 58: The Weight of a Dragon*

The roar tore through the clearing like a physical force.

Air rippled outward from the wolf monster’s open jaws, flattening grass and rattling the broken branches scattered across the battlefield.

Birds exploded from distant treetops in frightened flocks.

For a moment, the forest itself seemed to recoil.

Behind John, several elves flinched despite themselves.

The sound was deep.

Violent.

Full of primal authority.

It was the roar of a creature that ruled these woods.

Or believed it did.

The wolf’s massive chest rose and fell slowly as the echo faded.

Amber eyes burned with predatory focus as they remained locked on the black dragon standing across the clearing.

John didn’t move.

Not a single scale shifted.

He simply watched.

The wind drifted quietly through the clearing again, carrying the scent of blood and crushed bark.

Between the two monsters stretched nearly thirty meters of broken ground.

The wolf took a step forward.

The earth cracked beneath its weight.

Each of its paws was the size of a shield.

Thick muscle rolled beneath its black fur with every movement, and the jagged bone spikes along its spine shifted like the ridges of a mountain range.

It was a magnificent predator.

A perfect apex hunter for a forest like this.

If it had encountered almost anything else—

It would have dominated the battlefield.

But this was not its forest anymore.

Not today.

The wolf lowered its head.

A low growl rumbled from deep in its chest.

The sound vibrated through the ground like distant thunder.

John tilted his head slightly.

"...You’re loud," he said.

Behind him, the elf leader nearly choked.

The dragon sounded mildly annoyed.

Not threatened.

Not tense.

Annoyed.

The wolf monster’s lips curled back, revealing rows of long, dagger-like teeth.

Drool hissed against the ground as it touched the dirt.

It clearly understood the challenge.

Two predators.

One territory.

Only one would leave the clearing.

The wolf began circling.

Its movements were slow and deliberate, stepping carefully over fallen trees and cracked earth.

Its eyes never left the dragon.

John watched it without moving.

His tail lazily swept across the ground behind him, carving long lines in the dust.

Step.

Step.

Step.

The wolf continued circling.

It was studying him.

Testing.

Looking for weakness.

Looking for hesitation.

It wouldn’t find any.

Behind the dragon, the elves stood perfectly still.

No one spoke.

Even breathing seemed too loud.

The pressure in the clearing had grown suffocating.

One of the younger warriors quietly whispered.

"...Commander... is it waiting for an opening?"

The elf leader didn’t answer.

Because he didn’t know.

But John did.

The dragon sighed softly.

"You’re wasting time."

The wolf’s ears twitched.

John finally took a step forward.

The sound of his claws pressing into the ground echoed sharply through the clearing.

The movement immediately changed the atmosphere.

Predatory tension spiked.

The wolf stopped circling.

Its body lowered closer to the ground.

Muscles coiled like tightened steel cables.

John stretched his neck slowly.

Bones shifted beneath black scales.

A deep *crack* echoed as he rolled one shoulder.

"...If you’re going to attack," he said calmly, "then attack."

For a fraction of a second—

The forest held its breath.

Then the wolf moved.

It exploded forward.

The ground shattered beneath its paws as the enormous beast launched across the clearing.

Thirty meters disappeared in an instant.

The speed was terrifying.

Wind screamed past its body as it charged.

Its jaws opened wide.

Teeth large enough to pierce armor closed toward the dragon’s throat.

Behind John, several elves gasped.

They could barely track the monster’s movement.

To them, it was a blur of black fur and bone spikes.

But to John—

It was slow.

Very slow.

The dragon raised one claw.

Just one.

The wolf’s jaws snapped shut.

*CLANG.*

A shockwave blasted outward.

Dust erupted from the ground.

The clearing shook.

For a brief moment, the enormous wolf remained frozen in place.

Because its teeth had not found flesh.

They had closed around something far harder.

John’s claw.

The dragon had caught the monster’s upper jaw in his grip.

Effortlessly.

The wolf’s eyes widened slightly.

Its momentum died instantly.

John’s arm hadn’t even bent.

Behind him, the elves stared in stunned silence.

The Tier-7 predator had launched with enough force to crush stone.

And the dragon had stopped it with one hand.

John looked mildly disappointed.

"...That’s it?"

The wolf snarled violently.

It tried to wrench its head free.

Massive muscles bulged along its neck.

The ground cracked beneath its paws as it pulled with immense strength.

John didn’t move.

Not even an inch.

The dragon looked down at the beast clamped in his grip.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "I expected more."

The wolf roared again.

This time it swung one massive claw.

The strike came from the side.

Fast.

Brutal.

Sharp claws cut through the air toward John’s ribs.

The dragon sighed.

*THUD.*

The wolf’s paw struck.

But instead of slicing through scales—

It stopped.

Pressed uselessly against John’s body.

Black scales didn’t even scratch.

The wolf froze.

For the first time—

Confusion appeared in its glowing eyes.

John glanced down at the paw resting against his side.

"...You’re trying very hard," he said.

Then he moved.

His arm flexed.

The wolf suddenly realized the mistake it had made.

Too late.

John swung.

The massive predator left the ground.

Its enormous body flew through the air like a thrown stone.

*BOOOOM.*

The wolf smashed into the forest edge.

Three trees exploded into splinters as its body tore through them.

The shockwave shook the clearing.

Birds scattered again.

Leaves rained down from above.

For a moment—

Everything went quiet.

The elves stared.

One of them whispered hoarsely.

"...He threw it."

Nearly eight hundred kilograms of apex predator.

Thrown like garbage.

The broken treeline groaned as shattered trunks collapsed.

Then—

Movement.

The wolf burst from the wreckage with a furious roar.

Its fur was covered in splinters and dirt.

But it wasn’t seriously injured.

Tier-7 monsters were extremely durable.

The creature charged again.

This time faster.

More aggressive.

Its jaws snapped repeatedly as it closed the distance.

John remained exactly where he stood.

The wolf leaped.

Claws extended.

Jaws wide.

Its body twisted in midair, aiming to rip open the dragon’s throat and chest in one brutal motion.

The dragon raised his wing.

*CRACK.*

The impact sounded like two boulders colliding.

The wolf bounced off the wing like it had hit a steel wall.

Before it could recover—

John’s tail moved.

Fast.

Faster than any of the elves could follow.

*WHAM.*

The impact detonated across the clearing.

The wolf’s body slammed into the ground hard enough to crack the earth.

A crater formed beneath it.

Dust exploded upward.

The monster gasped.

Air burst from its lungs.

John stepped forward slowly.

The ground trembled beneath his weight.

His golden eyes looked down at the stunned predator lying in the crater.

"...Still want to try?" he asked.

The wolf snarled.

But this time there was something different in the sound.

Pain.

Confusion.

And something new.

Fear.

John crouched slightly.

"Good," he murmured.

Then he vanished.

The dragon crossed the distance in a blur.

The wolf barely had time to react before a massive claw slammed into its shoulder.

*BOOM.*

The ground cratered again.

The wolf screamed.

Bone cracked beneath the impact.

John pressed the monster deeper into the earth.

The entire clearing shook.

Behind him, the elves stood frozen.

The commander lowered his spear slowly.

"...This isn’t a battle," he whispered.

It wasn’t.

This was domination.

The wolf thrashed wildly.

Claws tore into the ground.

Its jaws snapped toward the dragon’s arm.

John grabbed its muzzle.

And slammed its head back into the dirt.

*BOOM.*

Dust erupted again.

The wolf’s growl turned into a pained whine.

John leaned closer.

Golden eyes burned with ancient power.

"You’re strong," he said calmly.

The wolf struggled weakly beneath his claw.

"But you picked the wrong opponent."

The monster tried one final desperate attack.

Its back legs kicked upward.

Claws aimed for the dragon’s throat.

John caught both legs with his other hand.

Then lifted.

The entire creature left the ground.

For a moment—

The Tier-7 predator dangled helplessly in the dragon’s grip.

The elves stared in disbelief.

John rotated his shoulders.

"...Let’s end this."

He slammed the wolf into the ground.

Once.

*BOOM.*

Twice.

*BOOM.*

Three times.

The forest shook violently.

The ground fractured deeper with each impact.

By the third strike, the wolf’s resistance had nearly vanished.

John tossed the battered creature across the clearing.

It landed heavily near the corpse of the earlier Tier-7 monster.

For several seconds—

Nothing moved.

Dust slowly settled across the ruined clearing.

John straightened.

The dragon flexed his claws once.

Behind him, the elves remained silent.

Finally—

The wolf moved.

Weakly.

It tried to stand.

One leg trembled badly.

Blood dripped from its muzzle.

Its glowing eyes locked onto the dragon again.

But now—

There was no challenge left in them.

Only instinct.

The instinct to survive.

John slowly walked toward it.

Each step echoed across the clearing.

The wolf backed away.

Just slightly.

That tiny movement didn’t escape the elves.

The commander whispered softly.

"...It’s afraid."

John stopped a few meters away.

He looked down at the battered predator.

"You’re not stupid," he said quietly.

The wolf growled weakly.

But it didn’t attack.

John studied it for a moment.

Then he waved one claw dismissively.

"Go."

The wolf froze.

It didn’t understand.

John turned away.

"I’m not interested in killing something that’s already learned its lesson."

The clearing fell silent.

The wolf stared at him.

Then slowly—

Carefully—

It backed toward the forest.

Step.

Step.

Step.

When it finally reached the treeline—

It turned.

And ran.

Within seconds, the massive predator disappeared into the depths of the forest.

The clearing remained quiet for several moments.

Then one elf finally spoke.

"...You let it go."

John stretched his wings lazily.

"It’s not worth the effort."

The elf leader looked around the battlefield.

Two destroyed monsters.

A shattered forest.

Cratered ground.

Then he looked back at the dragon.

"...Remind me never to challenge a dragon."

John chuckled.

"Smart decision."

The commander exhaled slowly.

"...What tier are you?"

John glanced at him.

A faint grin returned.

"...Higher than that."

And somehow—

That answer was even more terrifying.